This week, I'm offering a couple of recipes for Thanksgiving for those not wanting to fuss with a turkey this year. Both of them are fairly easy to make, packed with all kinds of seasonal ingredients, and absolutely festive in their own right. This time around, we're firing up the grill to make quick work of thin cut pork chops. But because we're talking autumn's festive feast, we give them a bath in a beautiful bourbon apple cider marinade first. What's not to love?
The place to play around with this recipe is understanding that if the weather doesn't cooperate or you just don't want to fire up the grill, you can add about a tablespoon of canola oil or another neutral, high smoke point oil to a cast iron pan and cook your pork chops inside instead. You'll have a bit more to clean up, but you get to decide how you want to get your Thanksgiving meal on the table and an extra dish or two isn't going to break the time bank on this holiday!
As you see in the photos here, I opted to serve the chops over a colorful purple cabbage slaw and add a bit of seasoned butter to the top of each chop. By the time you grab your fork and knife, it will be melted a bit and just perfect. That said, you can serve these over your favorite cornbread stuffing or a mixed rice pilaf as well. I've even served them over maple-glazed air fried sweet potatoes too. However you choose to serve these perfect holiday offerings, enjoy!
Grilled Bourbon Cider Pork Chops
- 6 thin cut pork chops (¼ inch to ½ inch thick)
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Trim any fat or connective tissue from the pork chops. Place them in a shallow dish and add the next 4 ingredients (bourbon through mustard). Stir the liquid to make a marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate until ready to grill - at least 30 minutes and no more than 24 hours.
Preheat the grill to high heat with a grill plate in place.
Grill the chops 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Remove chops from grill; let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Yields: 6 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour (includes 30 minutes of marinating)