Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops
This is a surefire way to get a delicious, moist, and flavorful pork loin chop. A simple recipe perfect for weeknight meals. I recommend using thick-cut bacon for this dish.Photo by: Sabrina Baksh/derrickriches,com
Ingredients
- 4 pork boneless pork loin chops 6 ounces each
- 4 strips of thick-cut bacon
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
- 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine apple juice, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a small bowl.
- Place pork chops into a resealable plastic bag. Pour mixture over the top, making sure all exposed surfaces of chops are well coated. Seal the bag and place it into the refrigerator for 1-4 hours
- Preheat grill for medium-high indirect heat.
- Remove loin chops from the bag, and with a paper towel, gently blot away some of the marinade liquid. Don’t overdo this step. We want to remove a little excess liquid, not soak it all up.
- Season each chop with black pepper and a little salt.
- Wrap each chop with one slice of bacon (if your chops are more than 6 oz., use more bacon), and secure with a wooden toothpick if needed.
- Place on the grill and cook indirectly for 25 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking process. Once the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F., move chops to the hotter part of the grill and sear the bacon over direct heat. Keep an eye out for flare-ups.
- Once chops reach an internal temperature between 145-150 degrees F., and the bacon has cooked to a golden brown color, they are done.
- Remove chops from the grill, place them onto a serving platter, and garnish with freshly chopped herbs. I recommend chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley.
Notes
Things to think about with this recipe: Bacon: What kind of thick-cut bacon can you use for this recipe? Well, that depends entirely on your preference and the flavor profile you’re trying to achieve. Yes, you can use maple bacon or black pepper bacon. I like to stick with hickory-smoked or uncured bacon. That way, if I feel like adding a little rub to the bacon itself, the flavors don’t clash. Meat: Pork loin chops tend to dry out quickly, so the bacon helps keep them moist and flavorful. I have not tried this recipe with rib chops, so please leave a comment and let us know how it turned out should you choose to use them. This recipe also works well with chicken breast.
