Grilled Pork Chops with Apple-Bourbon Glaze

Lovey selected the Labor Day menu this year.  He usually glances through the Southern Living when it comes in the mail.  Usually he will select a dessert he would like for me to fix and try.  This month it was a main course.  I think 'Apple-Bourbon Glaze' jumped out off the page.  And, I am sure it was the bourbon portion of that title that really got his attention.  He doesn't drink it (I do though!) but he loves to cook with it.

 A rub is made the night before cooking and slathered on the pork chops.  

I found it easy to mix up all of the dry ingredients with my fingers.

Dry the chops well on both sides.  The chops are brushed with a little olive oil on each side and then lightly seasoned with the dry rub.  All done the night before which makes grilling day a little easier; and the refrigerator smells heavenly the next morning.

 
The meat is seared on both sides before any of the glaze is applied.  Just a note about something we learned....see the two pork chops at the upper left?  Those are definitely what you want.  The other four chops are a sirloin cut and not what I was really after; the 'bone-in' in  the chop at the lower left is NOT what I consider a bone-in pork chop.

Once the chops are seared the glaze is applied to each side and turned every 10 seconds, until the chops are done and the glaze is thick and caramelized.

Mmm....these were good!!!  We served them up with good old mashed potatoes, sauteéd asparagus and broccoli and roasted peppers and onions.

Grilled Pork Chops with Apple-Bourbon Glaze

From the September 2014 issue of Southern Living 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp kosher salt

1-1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp. freshly ground peppercorns

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 - (3-ounces each) bone-in pork rib chops

1 (12 oz.) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

1 cup bourbon

3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 dried crushed red pepper (I did not use these as Lovey is not a fan of hot, spicy)

Method:

Stir together the first 5 ingredients.  Rinse off pork chops and pat dry.  Brush both sides of chops with olive oil.  Spread dry ingredients on both sides of chops and place in a 9" x 13" glass baking dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Thirty minutes before you turn the grill on remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature.  

In the mean time, prepare the glaze.  In a saucepan, stir together the apple juice concentrate, bourbon, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and red pepper if you like a little kick.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 13  to 15 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup.

Preheat grill to 330 - 400° F.  Grill chops, covered with grill lid, 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until almost done.  Brush tops with  glaze; turn and brush other side with glaze.  Grill, covered with grill lid for 2 minutes.

Repeat process, without grill lid and turning chops every 10 seconds, until glaze thickens and chops are cooked through.