Grilled Berkshire Pork Chops with Cherries

Fruit and pork are classic partners, but things get a bit more interesting when a bit of smoke and a sizzling char are added to the mix.  Next time grilled pork chops are on the weekend menu, consider adding a grilled fruit element as a topping or sauce.

Starting with beautiful pasture-raise pork chops from North Woods Ranch, lightly salt and pepper the chops on both sides, letting them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling.

For fruit, choose whatever looks best at the market.  Cherries have been plentiful here in Pennsylvania due to the abundant amount of rain, but try new fruits as the seasons and produce changes.

As with pan-searing a chop, start the chops on medium heat.  For a charcoal grill, this would be off to one side of the live coals where the heat is not as intense.  While the pork chops are off to one side of the heat, the fruit should be set right over the hottest part of the grill.  Due to the soft nature and high water content of fruit, they need an intense blast of heat to get some charring.  

 Two to three minutes should be enough and will keep them from becoming too soft and pulpy. To grill the fruit, a non-stick grilling basket is a great tool, plus they’re widely available at grocery stores during the summer.  A bowl made of aluminum foil and greased with oil is an OK stand in for one-time use. 

A good plan is to preheat the grilling basket when the pork chops first go down.  After 4-5 minutes, flip the pork chops, then add the cherries (unpitted to help retain their shape) to the preheated basket.  After 2 minutes, stir or shake the basket to move the fruit around.  The skins of the cherries will be blistered and slightly charred.  The goal in this step is to add some savory, smoky notes to the sweet, acidic nature of the fruit. 

To finish the grilled cherry topping, cut the cherries in half and remove the pits.  A sprig of rosemary, minced fine, adds a slightly resinous and fresh herbal flavor the cherries.  Due to the intense heat of the grill the cherries will have a tender, yielding texture and can be spooned over each pork chop like a chutney.  Later in the season, try this with quartered peaches and thyme or blackberries and basil.

Recipe at a Glance:

1 pork chop per person, rubbed with salt and pepper

2-3 oz of fruit per person (a generous amount to get a bit of fruit on each bite)

Sprig of herbs

Soak a few blocks 2x2" of hard wood in water.

Start a fire in your grill with a chimney starter and lump charcoal.  When the coals are half on fire, dump them out and place the grill grate on top to allow it to preheat.  Once all the coals are lit/white, brush the grill with a wire brush, then oil it.  Add the damp wood to the hot coals to add some smoke.

Lay the pork chops down in the middle of the grill, on indirect heat.  Set a perforated grilling basket down on the hottest part of the grill.  If the grilling basket is not made of non-stick material, grease the basket before setting it on the grill.  Cover the grill.

After 4-5minutes, turn the chops over, and add the fruit to the preheated basket.  Cover the grill again.   Check the fruit after 2 minutes.  If charred and blistered, remove from heat.  Otherwise, continue cooking for another minute.

Cook the chops to your preference, and remove the pits/stones from the cooked fruit.  Mince the herbs and stir into the fruit.  Plate the chops and spoon a generous amount of the grilled fruit on top.  If the fruit turns out to be too under-ripe/acidic, sweeten it with agave syrup (mostly fructose) or honey.