Ingredients
8 bone-in pork chops (½- to 1-inch thick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola or other neutral oil
1 pound ripe but firm black or red plums, pitted and thinly sliced (see Tip)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, plus more to taste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili sauce (such as Heinz) or ketchup
1 teaspoon apple cider or rice vinegar
Directions
1
Pat the pork chops dry, then season with salt and pepper. Generously coat with oil.
2
In a bowl, toss the plums with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside to get juicy.
3
Heat a saucepan over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
4
Add the chili sauce and stir constantly until slightly darker in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and cook until reduced, just a few seconds. Add ½ cup water and the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, 3 to 5 minutes.
5
Stir in the plums and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the plums are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper and brown sugar as needed. (The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.)
6
Heat an outdoor grill to high (or heat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high). Grill the pork chops until browned at the edges and no longer pink in the middle, 1 to 3 minutes per side for ½-inch-thick chops and 3 to 4 minutes for 1-inch thick chops.
7
Let the pork rest for a few minutes, then serve with the warm sauce.
Notes
Plum pits can be stubborn. The best way to pit a plum is to cut it in half lengthwise and twist it to separate the halves. One half should have the pit, and one half should be free. Cut the half with the pit in half again lengthwise and twist the two pieces apart. Do this one last time with the remaining piece with the pit — cut it in half — then twist the two pieces apart. The pit should now be easy to remove from the final piece.