Grill/Barbecue

Berry-Marinated Pork Chops

by:
June 12, 2018
5
2 Ratings
Berry-Marinated Pork Chops
Photo by Ty Mecham
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Using berries for savory cooking can be a fun and lovely addition to your weeknight repertoire. Berries bring a surprisingly fresh sourness that is very different from, let’s say, citrus, and help tenderize the meat in a gentle way when used as a marinade. For this recipe, I chose easily accessible berries: blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. But I encourage you to experiment with sourer options like gooseberries and currants. —Katrín Björk

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 pork chops (bone-in and approximately 1/2 pound each)
  • 3 1/2 ounces blackberries
  • 3 1/2 raspberries
  • 3 1/2 ounces blueberries
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Pat your meat dry with a paper towel. In a medium bowl mash (I use a fork) the berries along with garlic and thyme. Salt and pepper the marinade to taste. Take half of the marinade and set aside for later. Use the other half to coat the meat, make sure you cover every inch with a thin layer. Let the meat marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
  2. Scrape most of the marinade off before searing the chops on the grill over medium high heat (375°F) for about 2 minutes on each side. Then lower the heat or use indirect heat for the remaining cooking time or until the chops have reached an internal temperature of 145° F. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  3. While the chops are on the grill; heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet and sauté the red onion over medium heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the brown sugar over onions, stir and then deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar. Let the vinegar evaporate, for approximately 1 minute, before adding the remaining berry mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot or cold as a sauce/jam with the meat.
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  • Billie Johnson
    Billie Johnson
  • Katrín Björk
    Katrín Björk
  • Linda D
    Linda D

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5 Reviews

Linda D.
Linda D. September 21, 2018
My pleasure, Katrin. My husband says, "you can count on it!"
 
Linda D.
Linda D. September 20, 2018
We made this for supper last night, Katrin, and it was fabulous! The pork chops were moist and the berries were a delight! I prepared the marinade after lunch and let the pork chops marinade til grilling time-yum!
 
Katrín B.
Katrín B. September 20, 2018
Thank you so much for taking the time and write to me, Linda. I truly appreciate it and I am so incredibly happy that you liked the dish. It's one of my personal favorites and I hope you will make it again.
 
Billie J.
Billie J. July 12, 2018
I just read your article on yogurt and don’t have much experience with pork chops either, would it be better to marinate them with sky yogurt first?
 
Katrín B.
Katrín B. July 13, 2018
Hi Billie. Thanks for reading along. There is no need to marinate the pork chops in skyr first, the berries will tenderize the meat and make it absolutely perfect and moist. Happy cooking!