Citrus Marinated Pork Chops with Quick Cranberry Chutney

These pork chops are a proper weekend treat — marinated in a bright citrus mixture that gets boiled down and used as a sticky glaze while the chops cook on the grill. Paired with a quick cranberry chutney, it's a brilliant balance of sweet, sharp, and savoury. The kind of recipe that looks impressive but comes together without too much fuss.

Ingredients

For the citrus marinade and glaze

• 4 pork loin chops, roughly 2.5cm thick
• Juice of 2 oranges (approx. 120ml)
• Juice of 1 lemon (approx. 30ml)
• Juice of 1 lime (approx. 30ml)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) honey
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) fine salt
• ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) freshly ground black pepper

For the quick cranberry chutney

• 150g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 60g light soft brown sugar
• 60ml orange juice
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh ginger, grated
• Pinch of fine salt

Method

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk together well. Set aside roughly 4 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate container — this will be your safe, uncontaminated glaze for basting later. Pour the remainder into a zip-lock bag or shallow dish and add the pork chops. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.
2. While the chops are marinating (or just before you're ready to cook), make the cranberry chutney. Combine the cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, shallot, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan over a medium heat on your hob. Stir occasionally and cook for 10–15 minutes until the cranberries have burst and the chutney has thickened to a jammy consistency. Set aside — it's just as good warm or at room temperature.
3. When you're ready to cook, remove the chops from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Discard the used marinade and pat the chops dry with kitchen paper.
4. Preheat your gas grill to a medium-high heat, aiming for around 220–230°C. Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
5. Place the chops on the grill and cook for 6–8 minutes per side, basting with the reserved (unused) marinade glaze in the final few minutes of cooking on each side. You're looking for good colour and caramelisation on the outside.
6. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer — you're looking for 75°C throughout. Once reached, remove the chops from the grill and rest them loosely under foil for 5 minutes.
7. Serve the chops with a generous spoonful of cranberry chutney on the side.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.