Sweet and Spicy Apricot-Glazed Pork and Pineapple Kebabs Recipe

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated Aug. 29, 2018
20140531-294481-apricot-glazed-pork-kebabs.jpg
A spicy rub is paired with a sweet and smoky apricot glaze to make an incredibly flavorful pork kebab. Joshua Bousel

Built with layer upon layer of flavor—first with a spicy, earthy rub and then with a sweet and fruity glaze—these pork and pineapple kebabs taste way more complex than their simple preparation may suggest.

Why this recipe works:

  • Brining the pork chops adds extra moisture to the meat, ensuring they stay juicy on the grill.
  • A hefty amount of cayenne pepper adds considerable heat to a seemingly simple rub.
  • An apricot glaze gives a sweet, fruity finish that contrasts with and balances out the spicy rub.
  • The sugary glaze is applied over indirect heat to prevent it from burning.

Recipe Facts

5

(3)

Active:60 mins
Total:100 mins
Serves:4 to 6 servings

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For the Brined Pork Chops:

  • 2quartsice coldwater

  • 1/3cupkosher salt

  • 1/4cupsugar

  • 2pounds(1 1/2-inch thick)center-cut pork chops

For the Rub:

  • 1tablespoonpaprika

  • 1teaspoonkosher salt

  • 1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2teaspoonsugar

  • 1/2teaspooncayenne pepper

  • 1/2teaspoongarlic powder

  • 1/2teaspoononion powder

  • 1/2teaspoonground cumin

For the Glaze:

  • 1/2cupapricot preserves

  • 1/4cuphoney

  • 1tablespoonDijon mustard

  • 2tablespoonssoy sauce

  • 1tablespoonrice vinegar

  • 1tablespoonfinely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo

  • 1/2pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

Directions

  1. For the Brined Pork Chops:In a large bowl, whisk together water, salt, and sugar until solids are dissolved. Place pork chops in brine and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

  2. For the Rub:In a small bowl, mix together paprika, salt, black pepper, sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Set aside.

  3. To make the glaze:In a small saucepan, whisk together apricot preserves, honey, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, and chipotle chiles. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

  4. Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Cut pork into 1 1/2-inch cubes, trimming any large pieces of excess fat. Coat pork cubes liberally with spice rub.

  5. Thread pork onto skewers, alternating with pineapple cubes.

  6. Light one chimney full of charcoal.When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes.Cleanandoilthe grilling grate. Grill skewers over direct heat until pork is well seared on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

  7. Move skewers to cool side of grill and brush with glaze all over. Cover grill and continue to cook until center of pork registers 140 to 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes onger. Transfer skewers to a serving tray and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Grill, wooden skewers (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes prior to use)

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts(per serving)
397 Calories
13g Fat
41g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 397
% Daily Value*
Total Fat13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol95mg 32%
Sodium923mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 32g
Protein30g
Vitamin C 32mg 162%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 561mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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