These sweet and tangy Grilled Apple Cider Pork Chops are the perfect way to welcome Fall! They’re easy to make utilizing some of the best fall flavors, like maple and apples.
Two things I love in the Fall~ Apples and Pumpkins. Of course I’m talking food here, there’s so many things in general that I love about Fall, but since the focus of this site is food, I’ll refrain from naming the rest.
Don’t worry, I’m not going all pumpkin spice on you–at least not yet. I feel like society rushes the seasons, do you?
Pumpkin spice used to be all the rage in November, anyone else remember that? Now it’s September first. I love making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies, just as much as the next person. But I’m being intentional about savoring each and every season.
How do you like them apples?
So today, it’s apples. One of my favorite things to do is go to the orchard and buy a variety of apples. It’s amazing there’s so many different kinds and they actually do taste different! My favorites for Apple Sauce are Crispins, also known as Mutsus, they’re so sweet you don’t even need sugar!
For the Apple Cider Pork Chops, I grilled slices of Galas to serve alongside. They’re sweet and crisp, and I wanted to taste a blend of both sweet from the apples and tangy from the mustard. What? Mustard and apples? Okay, I know it sounds weird, but, it’s SO good! You have to try it.
Besides it’s not like squirting mustard on your apple, it’s just blended in with all sorts of other ingredients that contribute to it’s taste. People eat apples and cheese, if that’s not weird…
It’s still great grilling weather here, so I put these on the grill, but you could certainly bake them too, or just use a grill pan indoors.
Notes on Grilled Apple Cider Pork Chops
- The main apple flavor comes from apple cider, but if you’re grilling apples on the side, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples work great, or pick your favorite!
- The meat will need to marinade so allow yourself some time for that.
- Bone-in pork chops work just as well as boneless. You may need to increase cooking time.
- Thin cut chops cook nice and quick if your’e in a hurry.
- These freeze well too, place the pork in the marinade and freeze flat.
Suggested Sides For Apple Cider Pork Chops
The meat has such great flavor that you don’t want to go too crazy on the sides. So, keeping it simple is an excellent idea.
- Rice Pilaf
- Quinoa
- Grilled Apple Slices
- Garlic Roasted Green Beans
- Cauliflower or Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Mash (I’d omit the add ins on this if I was making with the chops)
- Any type of squash pairs well
- Green salad with fresh fruit, nuts, and cheese
I think this recipe is great any time of year, but the cider is freshest in the fall. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Blessings,
Chellie
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Apple Cider Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 boneless pork chops
Instructions
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Whisk together apple cider, vinegar, mustard, oil, maple syrup, garlic, and soy sauce. Reserve 1/2 cup and set aside.
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Generously season pork chops with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow pan or zip lock bag.
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Pour marinade over top, toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
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Preheat grill to 400-500 degrees. Place chops on grill, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn chops over and cook 5 minutes more or until cooked through.
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Serve immediately with reserved marinade drizzled over top.
Recipe Notes
The meat will need to marinade so allow yourself some time for that.
Bone-in pork chops work just as well as boneless. You may need to increase cooking time.
Thin cut chops cook nice and quick if your'e in a hurry.
FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Place marinade and pork chops in a zip lock freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw before cooking.
ooooh I love this flavor combination! Looks delicious!
Are you using sweet cider or the alcoholic type of apple cider?
Hi Olaf, great question. I’m using 100% Apple Cider (no added sugar, but yes, the kind from just apples). If you try hard cider, let me know how it goes. I bet that would taste great!
What would be the cooking instructions if not cooking them on the grill?
Nancy, you could bake them, covered at about 350. I’d check them after 20 minutes if you’re using the thin cut. You could also put them in the Crock pot. I would try cooking on high for 2 hours, or low for 4 hours. Again, thickness of the chops will affect cooking time.
I strongly believe in marinading pork because it is so easy to overcook it and the marinade helps to keep the chops juicy. Your marinade is a wonderful blend of flavors and I made it exactly as suggested. I grilled two chops for my husband and I and I froze two others in the marinade for another meal. I made an apple chutney and mashed sweet potatoes to go with it. A definite keeper! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Your apple chutney and mashed sweet potatoes sounds like the perfect pairings, YUM!