Preview: This Apple Barbecue Pork glaze is the perfect way to spice up a boring old pork loin, pork chop, or pork tenderloin recipe!
Spice up your pork chop recipe or pork loin recipe with the perfect blend of sweet apples and tangy barbecue sauce. A touch of honey (or even brown sugar) makes this pork glaze so delicious you may want to eat it with a spoon!
The New Year’s tradition of eating pork is rooted in the fact that pigs eat (root) forward and so if you eat it, you will move forward in the new year. (snopes.com)
Superstitions aside, pork is usually a pretty simple meal to cook as it needs little touch once it is in the oven. However, it needs something.
Pork loin or pork roast just seems a little dry and boring to me (even with a little seasoning). I never feel comfortable just serving a plain pork loin. In fact, visiting in-laws is what inspired me to experiment with something I could create as a pork sauce. After three wasted batches, I came up with a pork glaze/sauce that has a nice sweet and salty flare.
This recipe can be added at the end of cooking a pork loin/roast to be used as a glaze. It can also be added as a sauce after the pork is plated. Either way, it has a nice balance of tart barbecue and sweet apples. It pairs nicely with roasted red potatoes and baked zucchini spears.
The last time I served this, I got the comment “I could just eat this with a spoon” so prepare to fall in love with this easy and delicious recipe!
Apple Barbecue Pork Glaze or Sauce
Here’s what you need:
2 apples (skin on, diced)
1/2 cup apple juice plus 1/4 cup (divided)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup Apple Cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Directions:
- Dice apples and add to pan on medium heat.
- Add juice and honey and stir. Cover and simmer until apples are soft. Stir often.
- Add barbecue sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and 1/4 cup of apple juice and stir to combine.
- Return to a boil and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to thicken. (for a thicker sauce, omit the additional 1/4 cup apple juice).
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.
Simmer until apples are tender but not mushy
How can you make this pork glaze even tastier?
Feed the whole family!
Two cups should serve about 4 people. You may want to double the recipe if you are cooking for a larger party (or just because it is delicious and everyone will want seconds) 😉
The sauce will thicken as it cools so if you prefer a thinner sauce, you can add 1/2 cup water when you add the BBQ sauce for a thinner consistency.
If you love a brown sugar pork glaze, you can replace the honey with 1/2 cup brown sugar and cook with apple juice/apples until it dissolves into the sauce.
Be sure to Pin it! for later or share with your favorite pork lover!
Ingredients
- 2 apples (skin on, diced)
- 1/2 cup apple juice plus 1/4 cup (divided)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mined garlic
Instructions
- Dice apples and add to pan on medium heat.
- Add juice and honey and stir. Cover and simmer until apples are soft. Stir often.
- Add barbecue sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and 1/4 cup of apple juice and stir to combine.
- Return to a boil and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to thicken. (for a thicker sauce, omit the additional 1/4 cup apple juice).
- Sauce will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.
Let me know how it turned out! Whether you are making the traditional New Year’s Day pork recipe or just an easy, weeknight meal, this pork glaze recipe is sure to be a new family favorite!
Just looking at this sauce with the sweet apples, a touch of garlic, a bit of honey all sautéed into a tangy barbecue- well, I am ready to eat! Will you try this pork tenderloin with apple barbecue pork glaze?
Dara says
We make BBQ pork fairly often. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!