Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops Recipe
This glaze hits sweet, tangy, and smoky notes all at once. The entire point is to build up layers of flavor by repeatedly flipping and glazing the chops on the grill. You’re aiming for caramelized, sticky edges, not a wet sauce or worse, burned.
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 8 thick-cut, bone-in pork chops, at least 1-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- Coarse black pepper
For the Apricot Glaze
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp water
- 2 tsp paprika
Season the Pork and Mix the Glaze
Take the pork chops out of the packaging and pat them completely dry with paper towels. A drier surface creates a better crust on the grill. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk the apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, water, and paprika together. Continue whisking until no clumps of jam remain and the glaze is a uniform consistency.
Sear Over Direct Heat, then Glaze Over Indirect
Get your grill heated to ~400-450F, setting up a two-zone fire.
Place the seasoned chops over the direct heat. Let them sear for ~4-6 minutes per side to get good grill marks. Once both sides are seared, move them to the indirect-heat side of the grill.
Start brushing the glaze onto the top of the pork chops. After about a minute, flip them, and glaze the other side. Repeat this process every 60 seconds or so for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
You’ll notice the glaze start to bubble and tighten up on the surface of the meat.
Pull the chops off the grill once the internal temperature hits ~140F.
Let the Chops Rest Before Serving
Transfer the chops to a cutting board and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise to about 145F. This rest is important; it keeps the chops ju
Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 8 thick-cut bone-in pork chops, at least 1-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- Coarse black pepper
For the Apricot Glaze
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp water
- 2 tsp paprika
Method
- Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Whisk together apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, water, and paprika until smooth.
- Heat grill to 400-450°F with two-zone fire setup.
- Sear chops over direct heat 4-6 minutes per side until well marked.
- Move chops to indirect heat side.
- Brush with glaze, flip and glaze other side. Repeat glazing every minute for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove chops when internal temp reaches 140°F.
- Rest 5-10 minutes before serving until internal temp reaches 145°F.
