Sweet And Spicy Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops Recipe

Pork and fruit make for the perfect pairing — or pear-ing, if you're Jamie Oliver and like to make pork roast with a pear-peach-apple chutney. Recipe developer Julianne De Witt wanted to show apricots a little love in her glazed pork chop recipe. The apricot preserves she's using here complement the rich, fatty meat, while the glaze also has a hint of heat from crushed red pepper and a tiny bit of tang from lime juice. She says, "The flavors complement each other while not overpowering the taste of the pork."

If you prefer to use a different type of preserves, De Witt feels that peach would also work well. Another option would be to go with hot pepper jelly made with jalapeños to give the meat even more sweet heat. You could also spice up the glaze by adding extra crushed red pepper or stirring in a spoonful of fruity habanero hot sauce.

Collect the ingredients for the sweet and spicy apricot-glazed pork chops

This is a fairly simple recipe, requiring just eight ingredients in all. In addition to the pork chops and apricot preserves, you'll also need salt, pepper, garlic, crushed red pepper, paprika, and lime juice.

Step 1: Salt and pepper the meat

Season the pork chops liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 2: Turn on the oven

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 3: Mix the glaze

Prepare the glaze by placing a small saucepan over medium heat and adding the apricot preserves, garlic, dried chile, paprika, and lime juice. Stir.

Step 4: Simmer the glaze

Bring glaze to a light boil, then simmer and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened slightly.

Step 5: Grease and heat a frying pan

Spray an ovenproof frying pan with cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat.

Step 6: Fry the pork chops on both sides

Sear the pork chops on both sides until browned, approximately 3 minutes per side.

Step 7: Glaze the chops on one side

Spoon half of the glaze over the pork chops.

Step 8: Bake the chops

Place the chops in the oven and cook for 4 minutes.

Step 9: Glaze the other side of the chops

Remove the chops from the oven, flip, and spoon over the remaining glaze. Return to the oven for 4 minutes.

Step 10: Broil the chops

Turn the oven to broil, then broil the chops for 2 minutes, or until the tops have browned nicely and the internal temperature reads 145 F. Rest for 5 minutes.

Step 11: Top the chops with any remaining glaze

Add the pork chops to a serving platter. Spoon the glaze over the chops and serve.

What are some tips for keeping glazed pork chops moist?

One problem with cooking pork chops is that they can dry out pretty quickly. For that reason, it's important to choose the right chops — De Witt goes with bone-in rib chops since she says the chops have a little fat to keep them juicy and flavorful, but she advises that you can also use loin chops. She cautions against using thin-cut, boneless chops, however, as these can easily be overcooked.

Once you've chosen your chops, there are a few more steps you can take to ensure that they stay as moist as possible. One is to bring them to room temperature before you cook them, as this will help them to heat more evenly. De Witt also notes that searing the chops before baking them helps to keep their moisture inside where it belongs. Finally, once the chops have cooked to 145 F (and not a degree higher), you should allow them to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into them. This resting period allows the meat to re-absorb all of its juices.

Can I cook these glazed pork chops on the grill?

De Witt starts her apricot-glazed pork chops on the stove and finishes them off in the oven, making this recipe perfectly suited for any time of the year. If the weather is warm and you're itching to do some outdoor cooking, though, she says you can always adapt it to make on the grill.

If you have a gas grill where you can control the temperature, set it to 450 F. If you're using charcoal instead, heat the coals until they're glowing red. Once the grill is hot, sear the pork chops for a few minutes on each side. When this is done, move them away from the direct heat so they are off to the side, then finish cooking them for however long it takes for the temperature to reach 145 inside (a meat thermometer will be necessary). As De Witt explains, "Indirect heat is key here [because] cooking the pork with the glaze on at too high a temperature will cause it to burn."

Sweet And Spicy Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops Recipe
4.8 from 5 ratings
Pork and fruit form a common pairing, and this recipe uses an apricot glaze to sweeten up bone-in pork chops and red pepper flakes to provide a hint of heat.
Prep Time
8
minutes
Cook Time
18
minutes
Servings
4
Servings
pork chops with vegetables
Total time: 26 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 bone-in pork rib chops
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¾ cup apricot preserves
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chiles
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
Directions
  1. Season the pork chops liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  3. Prepare the glaze by placing a small saucepan over medium heat and adding the apricot preserves, garlic, dried chile, paprika, and lime juice. Stir.
  4. Bring glaze to a light boil, then simmer and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened slightly.
  5. Spray an ovenproof frying pan with cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat.
  6. Sear the pork chops on both sides until browned, approximately 3 minutes per side.
  7. Spoon half of the glaze over the pork chops.
  8. Place the chops in the oven and cook for 4 minutes.
  9. Remove the chops from the oven, flip, and spoon over the remaining glaze. Return to the oven for 4 minutes.
  10. Turn the oven to broil, then broil the chops for 2 minutes, or until the tops have browned nicely and the internal temperature reads 145 F. Rest for 5 minutes.
  11. Add the pork chops to a serving platter. Spoon the glaze over the chops and serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 492
Total Fat 18.2 g
Saturated Fat 6.0 g
Trans Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 137.3 mg
Total Carbohydrates 40.8 g
Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
Total Sugars 26.3 g
Sodium 629.8 mg
Protein 41.9 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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