Tangy Maple-Marinated Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Salsa

Topping chops with a melange of grilled stone fruits is a fantastic way to incorporate some of the season's best produce into an unexpected pork condiment. The sweetness of grilled cherries, plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines is offset by the fiery tang of balsamic vinegar and grilled jalapeno peppers

Serves: 4
Cook Time: 14 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Smithfield Pork Chops (1 1/2-inches thick, bone-in or boneless)
• Marinade:
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper

Steps

Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag. In a 1-cup glass measure, stir together maple syrup, vinegar and pepper. Pour over pork in bag; seal bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill to 400 to 450 degrees F. Remove chops from bag and discard marinade. Spray chops lightly with cooking spray; place on hot grill. Cook for 7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. using an instant-read thermometer. Remove from grill; cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa.

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa
4 to 5 fresh peaches or plums (or any mixture of additional stone fruits* such as nectarines, apricots or cherries, to yield 2 cups total chopped fruit, as directed below)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed, halved
Salt and pepper

*Stone fruits are fruits that have a hard stone or pit in the center of the fruit.

Wash and halve fruit. Remove the pits; place fruit in bowl. Pour maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over fruit; toss gently to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Reserving maple-balsamic mixture, place fruit and jalapeno pepper on grill, cut side down.** Grill over direct medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove fruit and pepper from grill and place back into reserved marinade; cube fruit into 1-inch cubes or quarters. Peel dark skin from jalapeno pepper (if desired); finely chop. Toss with fruit and marinade to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Tangy Maple-Marinated Pork Chops.
** Use a metal grill, wok, or rack for cooking fruits and vegetables to keep them from falling through the grate, if desired. Coat lightly with cooking spray for easy clean-up.

Recipe and photo courtesy of National Pork Board. For more information about Pork. The Other White Meat®, visit our website www.otherwhitemeat.com

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