Grilled Pork Kabobs with Apples

Smoky grilled apples, tender pork chunks, and sweet red onions, with a lemony apricot glaze, make grilled pork kabobs a feast for the tastebuds. 

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

And apples and pork are a natural match. I often make sautéed pork tenderloin with apples and onions. So what makes these kabobs unique? Two things: grilled apples and an outstanding apricot glaze.

Have you tried grilling apples yet? They turn out so unexpectedly flavorful: smoky, tender, and sweet.

I confess, up until these kabobs my only experience with grilled apples has been apple s’mores. My kids will try poking anything onto a stick when we’re making s’mores and apples are always a hit. Roasted apple slices on a graham cracker along with a perfectly (or sometimes not so perfectly) roasted marshmallow is a great flavor combo. And hey, mom won’t complain; apples are healthier than chocolate. 

And the glaze! This apricot glaze is so heavenly. The glaze recipe makes enough so you’ll have plenty for dipping when you serve the kabobs. I could eat it by the spoonful. Apricot preserves, lemon, Dijon mustard, and fresh rosemary, with just a touch of heat from red pepper flakes–you’ll love this sauce. It touches all the taste bases and scores a home-run.

Just in time for apple season, you’ll want to try grilled pork kabobs soon! They’re 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. So good!

About This Recipe

Pork kabobs are really quite simple to make. 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.

I’ll run through the recipe here and give you lots of tips and substitution ideas. Look for specific measurements, instructions, and nutrition information on the recipe card below.

What You’ll Need

• Apricot preserves
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Flavorful Dijon mustard: A grainy or stone-ground mustard would work well, too.
• Olive oil: just a tablespoon.
• Rosemary: Use fresh if you can, it’s so much better.
• Red pepper flakes, to taste. How much heat can you take? 
• Apples: See the cooking note below for more about apples.
• Red onion: Red onion is attractive but any type of sweet onion is fine.
• Pork tenderloin

How To Make This Recipe

Stir up the glaze ingredients 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.

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.

You’re ready to thread the skewers! 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 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?

Make It Your Own

• Go Hawaiian! Substitute fresh pineapple chunks for the apple pieces in this recipe. Or try grilled pineapple shrimp kabobs with homemade teriyaki sauce. Substitute pork for the shrimp if you want, keeping the kabobs on the grill until the pork is fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Greek style kabobs (without apples): If you’re thinking about delicious souvlaki, try this recipe for Greek pork souvlaki by The Healthy Foodie. Serve souvlaki with homemade tzatziki. 
• Not a good day for grilling? Broil the kabobs in your oven instead. Cook on high, turning once, for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through.
• Rather cook whole tenderloins? Try my spice rubbed pork tenderloin recipe.
• If you don’t love pork, substitute boneless skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Instead of apricot preserves, try cherry, raspberry, or orange marmalade.

FAQs

Make-Ahead Idea

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

Storage & Reheating Tips

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.

More Recipes For The Grill

Take it outside! Grilling imparts such a unique flavor. Plus, it gets you outside in the sunshine. Here’s a few more recipes to try:

• Bruschetta Chicken
• Balsamic Chicken Marinade – a versatile marinade that can be used for pork, too.
• Grilled Salmon
• Chicken Shawarma Drumsticks
• Grilled Pizza with Arugula Pesto, Ham, and Corn
• Seasoned Grilled Potatoes
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Kabobs, with Swiss cheese dip
• Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, stuffed with spinach and cheese
• Spicy Indian Marinated Steak by The Spruce Eats