Tangy Maple-Marinated Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Salsa Print this recipe

Ingredients

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa

• 1 jalapeño chile, membranes and seeds removed, halved
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 to 5 peaches OR plums (or any mixture of additional stone fruits* to yield 2 cups total chopped fr
• Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

• 4 pork chops, 1½-inch thick, bone-in or boneless

Marinade

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon pepper, coarsely ground

Instructions

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa

1. Wash and halve fruit. Remove the pits; place fruit in bowl. Pour maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over fruit; toss gently to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Reserving maple-balsamic mixture, place fruit and jalapeño pepper on grill, cut side down.† Grill over direct medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove fruit and pepper from grill and place back into reserved marinade; cube fruit into 1-inch cubes or quarters. Peel dark skin from jalapeño pepper (if desired); finely chop. Toss with fruit and marinade to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Marinade

1. Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, stir together maple syrup, vinegar and pepper. Pour over pork in bag; seal bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill to 400 to 450° F. Remove chops from bag and discard marinade. Spray chops lightly with cooking spray; place on hot grill. Cook for 7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160º F using an instant-read thermometer. Remove from grill; cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Serve chops with salsa.
3. *Stone fruits are fruits that have a hard stone or pit in the center of the fruit, such as nectarines, apricots or cherries.
4. †Use a metal grill “wok” or rack for cooking fruits and vegetables to keep them from falling through the grate, if desired. Coat lightly with cooking spray for easy clean-up.

Credit

1. The National Pork Board