Equipment
Ingredients
Pork Chops
- 4 pork porterhouse chops, bone-in, thick cut
- 30 ml olive oil
- 15 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Apple-Maple Ginger Sauce
- 240 ml apple juice
- 60 ml maple syrup
- 15 g ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 30 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 707 kcal
- Protein
- 63 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 1669 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 223 mg
- Potassium
- 1166 mg
- Calcium
- 91 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 85 mg
- Phosphorus
- 637 mg
- Zinc
- 5.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 58 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 23 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.47 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.78 mg
- Niacin
- 20.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 278 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the pork chops completely dry with paper towels on a dedicated raw meat cutting board. Rub evenly on all sides with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Allow the meat to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes for even cooking. Wash hands and sanitize any surfaces that contacted raw meat.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the apple juice, maple syrup, grated ginger, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil.
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the liquid until it reduces by half and thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Preheat the grill for two-zone cooking, creating a direct hot zone at 230°C/450°F and an indirect cooler zone.
Using tongs, place the seasoned pork chops on the direct heat zone. Sear until deep caramelization forms, approximately 3 minutes per side.
Move the pork chops to the indirect heat zone. Close the grill lid and continue to cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop, away from the bone, registers 63°C/145°F.
Transfer the cooked pork chops to a clean cutting board. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
While the pork is resting, whisk the cold butter cubes into the warm sauce off the heat. Continue whisking until the butter is completely melted and emulsified into the liquid.
Transfer the rested pork chops to individual plates and drizzle generously with the warm apple-maple ginger sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Pork porterhouse chops contain a section of both the loin and the tenderloin. Position the smaller tenderloin side furthest from the high heat source, as it cooks faster than the loin section.
- Brining the pork chops in a basic 5 percent salt solution for four hours prior to grilling will drastically improve moisture retention and provide a wider margin for error when grilling.
- Using cold butter to finish the sauce is a classic French technique called monter au beurre. It creates a stable emulsion that rounds out the acidic edge of the vinegar while adding a velvety mouthfeel.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the sauce and pork chops in separate airtight containers to maintain texture.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze chops tightly wrapped. The sauce may break upon thawing and require vigorous whisking while reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the pork gently in a 150C oven until just warmed through to prevent drying out. Reheat sauce separately on the stove.
Troubleshooting
Pork chops are dry and tough
Cause: Overcooking the lean meat past the safe internal temperature of 63C/145F.
Fix: Cannot be fixed texturally, but slicing the meat thinly against the grain and tossing it heavily in the sauce will mask the dryness.
Prevention: Use a highly accurate digital instant-read meat thermometer and monitor the temperature frequently during the indirect cooking phase.
Sauce separates and looks oily
Cause: The emulsion broke because the butter was too warm, or the sauce was boiled after the butter was added.
Fix: Vigorously whisk in a teaspoon of cold water off the heat until the emulsion comes back together.
Prevention: Ensure butter is very cold before adding, and never return the sauce to a boil once the butter is whisked in.
Cultural Context
The pairing of pork and apples is a time-honored American culinary tradition, heavily rooted in the autumnal harvests of the Northeast and Midwest regions. Incorporating pure maple syrup and fresh ginger modernizes this rustic farmhouse staple, successfully bridging savory outdoor barbecue techniques with sweet and warming seasonal flavors.
