Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: 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 easy 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 easy 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 perfect match with pork tenderloin (I 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 easy 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.
“These pork kabobs are so good! I first made them while entertaining family, and they were all impressed I made something so delicious. My picky husband practically licks his plate!”
Ingredient Notes
- 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: I 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 I’ve used both fresh and dried, fresh rosemary really 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. I 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 I 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 Delicious, or Mutsu (Crispin).How To Make Grilled Pork Tenderloin Kebobs
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 the best 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.
Recipe Variations
- Go Hawaiian! Substitute fresh pineapple chunks for the apple pieces in this recipe. Try grilled pineapple shrimp kabobs with homemade 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 my 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 my Mediterranean pork tenderloin sheet pan dinner.)
- Substitute boneless skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Rather cook whole tenderloins? Try my 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.
Prepare the sauce and assemble the kabobs up to a day in advance. Wrap well, and store in refrigerator
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.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #69. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
More Recipes For The Grill
Grilled Pork Kabobs with Apples
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
Instructions
- 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. Set aside half of the glaze to use as dipping sauce.½ cup apricot preserves, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Thread the pork, apples, and onions onto the skewers and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 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
- 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.
Notes
- Apples: Suggested apple varieties: Granny Smith, HoneyCrisp, Jonathan, Empire, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, or Mutsu (Crispin)
- Oven: Broil the kabobs in your oven instead of grilling.
- Chicken kebobs: Substitute boneless skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces, if desired.
- Flavor variations: Instead of apricot preserves, try cherry, raspberry, or orange marmalade.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I just love the versatility of recipes like this. They can be customized to appeal to anybody’s tastes. Personally, I’ve never had a pork tenderloin that I didn’t like! Thanks for sharing…
That’s my goal for the majority of my recipes! Glad you enjoyed this one.
These pork kabobs are so good! I made them tonight for the third time in 2 months. I first made them while entertaining family, and they were all impressed I made something so delicious. My picky husband practically licks his plate, and I can easily alter a portion of the dinner for my even pickier preschoolers. I just leave some raw apple to the side, put only pork on their skewer, and leave off the sauce. I added some roasted potatoes and Brussel sprouts to round out the meal. I will definitely be sneaking these into the meal plan again before the dreadful cold weather sets in!
I love the addition of roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts, sounds like the perfect summer/fall transition meal! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I’m glad these are such a hit!