Pork and fruit are a natural pairing. Here, pork chops are served with a salsa made from fresh peaches and are basted with a sauce made from peach jam. Other fresh fruits and jams can be used in their place, such as apricots and apricot jam or pineapple and pineapple jam.
This Hot Pepper Peach Jam is a twist on our traditional pepper jellies. We started with juicy peaches and added hot peppery spices to create a mellow jam that ends in a bite of spice. This jam tastes great as an appetizer when combined with cheese, it is also great on cornbread and when used for cooking sauces.
Ingredients:- For the sauce:
3/4 cup Hot Pepper Peach Jam (pick up your jar at Bonnes Amies)
- 6 Tbs. bourbon whiskey or peach nectar
- 4 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
For the peach salsa:
1 cup chopped peaches
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 to 2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped
3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro or mint
1 tsp. grated lime zest
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 boneless pork chops, each about 6 oz. and 3/4 inch thick
3 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
To make the sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the jam, bourbon, vinegar and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sauce and remove from the heat. Use the sauce immediately, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If refrigerated, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Measure out 3 Tbs. of the sauce to use as a glaze for the pork and reserve.
To make the peach salsa, in a bowl, combine the peaches, bell pepper, onion, chilies, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice and toss gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Oil the grill rack.
Brush the chops on both sides with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the chops on both sides with some of the sauce.
Grill the chops over the hottest part of a charcoal fire or directly over the heat elements of a gas grill, turning once and brushing with additional sauce, until cooked to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium (slightly pink at the center and juicy).
Transfer the chops to a warmed platter and brush them with the reserved 3 Tbs. peach sauce. Let rest for 3 minutes. Serve with the salsa spooned on top or alongside. Serves 4 to 6.
