4 pork chops (1 1/2-inches thick, bone-in or America’s Cut boneless)

Marinade:

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper

Cooking Directions: Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag. In a 1-cup glass measure, stir together maple syrup, vinegar and pepper. Pour over pork in bag; seal bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill to 400º to 450ºF. Remove chops from bag and discard marinade.

Spray chops lightly with cooking spray; place on hot grill. Cook for 7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160º F. using an instant-read thermometer.

Remove from grill; cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa.

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa

4 to 5 fresh peaches or plums (or any mixture of additional stone fruits* such as nectarines, apricots or cherries, to yield 2 cups total chopped fruit, as directed below)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed, halved

Salt and pepper

Wash and halve fruit. Remove the pits; place fruit in bowl. Pour maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over fruit; toss gently to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Reserving maple-balsamic mixture, place fruit and jalapeno pepper on grill, cut side down.** Grill over direct medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove fruit and pepper from grill and place back into reserved marinade; cube fruit into 1-inch cubes or quarters. Peel dark skin from jalapeno pepper (if desired); finely chop. Toss with fruit and marinade to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Tangy Maple-Marinated Pork Chops. Serves 4.

Serving Suggestions: Topping chops with a mélange of grilled stone fruits is a fantastic way to incorporate some of the season’s best produce into an unexpected pork condiment. The sweetness of grilled cherries, plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines is offset by the fiery tang of balsamic vinegar and grilled jalapeno peppers.