Name: Grilled Pork Kabobs plus Apples
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: ½ cup apricot preserves; ¼ cup lemon juice; 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried); ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste); 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks; ½ red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 large apple, peel left on, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 16 pieces per apple); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

At a glance

What stands out: Smoky grilled apples, tender pork chunks, and sweet red onions, with a lemony apricot glaze, make grilled pork kabobs a feast for the tastebuds. Grilled pork kabobs are straightforward to prepare and you can have dinner on the table in no time at all.

How long it takes: about a half hour
Equipment you’ll need: skewers, sharp knife, small bowl
Servings: 6 (this recipe is straightforward to double, too)

These pork tenderloin kabobs combine apples and pork for a unique grilled entree. We’ve probably all taken a shot at grilling pork, right? Pork tenderloin is a natural for the grill; it’s lean but has just enough fat to make it tender and flavorful.

So what makes these kabobs unique? Two things: grilled apples and an outstanding apricot glaze.

Grilled Pork Kebobs with Apples

Smoky sweet grilled apples. Grilled apples turn out so unexpectedly flavorful, and this recipe is a great way to use seasonal apples. Apples are a reliable match with pork tenderloin (we often make sautéed pork tenderloin with apples and onions and sheet pan pork tenderloin with apples and sweet potatoes, too.)

Heavenly apricot glaze. You’re going to love this glaze and the recipe makes enough so you’ll have plenty for dipping when you serve the kabobs. With apricot preserves, lemon, Dijon mustard, and fresh rosemary, and just a touch of heat from red pepper flakes, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful!

Impressive enough to serve to guests. Grilled pork kebobs with apples are straightforward enough to prepare for a weeknight dinner and fancy enough to serve to company. Serve the kabobs with grilled rosemary potatoes and a kale salad with apples and golden raisins. A simple German cucumber salad is a good fit, too.

Mandy Said:

“These pork kabobs are so good! We first made them while entertaining family, and they were all impressed we made something so rich. Our picky husband practically licks his plate!”

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What goes in

Apricot preserves: The preserves form the base of the flavorful sauce.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice: You won’t want to use bottled lemon juice because it can have an off flavor. You’ll need ¼ cup, so one good-sized lemon should do the trick.
Dijon mustard: Use a smooth Dijon, or a grainy or stone-ground mustard, if you prefer.
Olive oil: We add a tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce to add richness, and the kebabs are brushed with another tablespoons to promote browning.
Rosemary: Although we've used both fresh and dried, fresh rosemary is better in this recipe.
Red pepper flakes: The spicy pepper adds a bit of tingle to the palate; coarse ground black pepper would be okay, too.
Apples: You’ll need 1 large apple, or the equivalent. We used a Granny Smith apple which has a bright green peeling, but a tart red apple would be lovely, too.
Red onion: Red onion is attractive but any type of sweet onion is fine.
Pork tenderloin: For four servings, buy a pork tenderloin that’s about 1 ½ pounds.

What Kind of Apples Should we Use?

Choose a firm apple that doesn’t turn to applesauce when cooked. You don’t want a mushy hunk of apple falling apart on the skewer. Some good choices are: Granny Smith, HoneyCrisp, Jonathan, Empire, Pink Lady, Golden Rich, or Mutsu (Crispin).

How it comes together

Prep the skewers and the grill. Soak eight to ten wooden skewers in water for a half hour or so before getting started. You don’t want to start a fire with the skewers. If you happen to have metal skewers, skip the soaking step.Get the grill preheating before you start prepping so it’s hot and ready to go.

Make the glaze. Stir the apricot preserves, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Remove about half of the glaze from the bowl. You’ll be reserving that for a dipping sauce and the rest will be used to baste the kabobs. You can make the sauce up to a day ahead of time.

Cut up an onion, a couple of apples, and a pork tenderloin; shoot for one inch chunks. Leave the peeling on the apples; it’s more attractive and better for you, too.

Thread the skewers in this order: pork, apple, onion, pork, apple, onion. Repeat for each skewer until everything is on the skewers. Brush the loaded skewers with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and you’re ready to grill.

Grill the kabobs for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once and frequently basting with the glaze. The internal temperature of the pork should be 145°F.

Serve. Serve the pork kabobs with the reserved glaze (sauce). You’ll want to drizzle a little glaze over the kabobs on the serving platter, too. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Since you have the grill on, why not make grilled Brussels sprouts or grilled zucchini to go along with the kabobs?

Tips For Success

Choose the right cut of pork. Lean tender pork that cooks quickly is a standby for kabobs; a pork tenderloin is a great choice. Avoid pork loin roasts; they are best cooked long and slow so they tenderize.

Cut the pork into evenly sized cubes. Small chunks of meat will cook more quickly; large chunks will take longer so it’s important that the pieces of meat are the same size so they get done at the same time.

Preheat the grill. Make sure the grill is good and hot before you start cooking the kabobs so they get nice grill marks and the flavor is seared in. Preheat the grill to medium high, about 400ºF.

Don’t overcook the pork. Grill the kabobs until they have a nice sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. If you prefer, turn the kabobs 4 times, so that each side of the cube browns, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Check the internal temperature of the pork with an instant read thermometer. It should be 145ºF.

Ways to change it

Go Hawaiian! Substitute fresh pineapple chunks for the apple pieces in this recipe. Try grilled pineapple shrimp kabobs with from-scratch teriyaki sauce, and substitute pork for the shrimp (you’ll need to grill them longer since pork takes longer to cook).
Marinate the pork first. This recipe includes a flavorful sauce so it isn’t necessary to marinate the pork. However, if you want to take your kabobs to the next level, try one of our flavorful marinade recipes. Marinate the meat, as directed, before adding the cubes to the skewers. It’s not necessary to marinate the vegetables and/or fruit.
Broil the kabobs in your oven instead. Cook on high, turning once, for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through. (If you’re looking for an oven recipe, try our Mediterranean pork tenderloin sheet pan dinner.)
Substitute boneless skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces.
Rather cook whole tenderloins? Try our spice rubbed pork tenderloin recipe or pork tenderloin with port wine sauce and roasted grapes.
Not wild about apricots? Try cherry, raspberry, or orange marmalade instead.

Make-Ahead Idea

Prepare the sauce and assemble the kabobs up to a day in advance. Wrap well, and store in refrigerator

Keeping leftovers

Store leftover pork kebabs, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently in the microwave. Try not to overheat them; the pork tends to be dry when it’s overdone.

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Yield: 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 27 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks
½ red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large apple, peel left on, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 16 pieces per apple)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Method

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to using.
Heat grill to medium-high heat (400ºF).
In a small bowl, combine apricot preserves, lemon juice, mustard, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Thread the pork, apples, and onions onto the skewers and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once and brushing with glaze frequently, until cooked through (145ºF when checked with an instant read thermometer).
Serve kabobs with reserved glaze on the side.