There is a particular kind of fall evening when the grill still feels right but the food needs to taste like the season changed. Pork chops and apples are that dinner. The chops pick up a little char, the apples soften and sweeten on the grates, and sage butter ties the whole plate together in about half an hour.
Why this one works
Two things make this recipe forgiving. The first is thickness: bone-in chops about an inch thick give you time to build a good crust without the center drying out, which is why thin boneless chops are harder to grill well. The second is the thermometer. Pork is done at 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a 3-minute rest, per the USDA, and pulling the chops at 140 degrees lets carryover heat finish the job while they rest. A faint blush of pink at 145 degrees is safe and expected, not undercooked — the old habit of cooking pork to gray was about a risk that modern farming has nearly eliminated.
Grilling the apples matters too. Raw apple slices on the side would taste fine, but two or three minutes a side on the grill softens them just enough and adds a little smoke that echoes the chops. Firm varieties hold their shape on the grates; Honeycrisp and Gala are both good here.
About 15 minutes on the grill, plus a 3-minute rest. Serves 4.
Grilled Pork Chops with Apples and Sage
Ingredients
Method
- Season the chops. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Rub them with the olive oil, chopped sage, salt, and pepper, and let them sit at room temperature while the grill heats, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates so the chops and apples do not stick.
- Grill the apples. Grill the apple rings 2 to 3 minutes per side, until softened with grill marks. Move them to a platter and keep warm.
- Grill the chops. Grill the chops 4 to 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat, until well marked on the outside.
- Check the temperature. Check the thickest part of a chop with an instant-read thermometer, away from the bone. Pull the chops at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest 3 minutes. Rest the chops for 3 minutes before serving. Carryover heat brings them to the USDA safe temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, and a faint blush of pink is expected.
- Make the sage butter. While the chops rest, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves, if using, and cook until crisp, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, spoon over the chops and apples, and serve.
Variations that work
If you only have boneless chops, they will work — just watch them closely, since thinner boneless chops cook faster and can overshoot 145 degrees in a hurry. Check early and pull at 140 degrees the same way. For the apples, Braeburn is another firm variety that holds up well, and a pinch of cinnamon in the sage butter leans the dish sweeter without changing the method.
The sage butter is optional in the strictest sense — the chops and apples are good without it — but it is the part that makes the plate taste finished rather than assembled. If fresh sage is unavailable, use 1 teaspoon of dried rubbed sage in the butter instead, and skip the crispy sage leaves.
Serving and storage
Serve each chop with a spoonful of sage butter and a few apple rings, and let the butter melt over everything on the plate. This is a good dinner next to something simple from the garden or the pantry — and if you have apples left over, our apple cheddar hand pies and mulled apple cider over a fire pit put the rest of the season’s apples to work.
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently, in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water, so the chops do not dry out — and save the leftover apple rings too, since they are good cold over a salad the next day.
