Smoky Pork Chops with Chilled Herb Oil & Roasted Grapes

Smoky Pork Chops with Chilled Herb Oil & Roasted Grapes

Grapes are in season, and their natural sweetness makes the perfect pairing for these smoky, herb-kissed pork chops. If you have the chance, cooking over fire adds a beautiful depth of flavour and connects you to the elements—golden hour light, the crackle of wood, and that primal DNA that thrives outdoors. It’s a moment to reset, breathe, and sync with nature’s rhythms.

That said, if fire cooking isn’t an option, your kitchen will do just fine—everything will still be utterly delicious. The key is to prepare the chilled herb oil in advance, ideally the night before, so the flavours have time to develop. If your fire isn’t within easy reach of your oven, you can roast the grapes ahead or hang them over the fire to cook low and slow, letting them turn smoky and deeply concentrated in flavour.

Simple, satisfying, and bursting with flavour—these chops are a joy to cook and even better to eat.

Serves 4 | Dairy-Free | Gluten-Free

Chilled Herb Oil

• Small bunch of fresh thyme
• A few sprigs of marjoram or rosemary
• A few sprigs of parsley
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 200ml good-quality olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

Roasted Grapes

• 350g red or green grapes (or a mix, still on the vine)
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• Olive oil, for drizzling
  

Pork Chops

• 4 pork loin chops
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

To Serve

• Lemon wedges (optional)

Method

Prepare the Chilled Herb Oil

1. De-stalk and finely chop all the herbs. Place them in a small bowl and mix to combine.
2. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the chopped herbs in a sealed container in the fridge (for the pork chops).
3. Transfer the remaining herbs to a jar and pour in the olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and season with a little salt and pepper.
4. Shake well and refrigerate overnight (or place in the freezer if making only a few hours ahead).

Roast the Grapes

5. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
6. Lay the grapes in a roasting dish, sprinkle with coconut sugar, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
7. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the skins start to split and caramelise slightly. A little charring is good! Remove from the oven and set aside. The grapes can be served warm or at room temperature.
8. Alternatively, you can cook the grapes in a pan over the fire, same ingredients, all in a pan, cook until bubbling, tender and smoky.
   

Cook the Pork Chops

8. Get your fire going or heat a grill/hotplate over high heat.
9. Lay the pork chops on a plate, drizzle both sides with olive oil, and scatter over the reserved herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Place the chops on the grill or hotplate and cook for about 6 minutes on the first side, then 2-3 minutes on the other side. 
11. Remove from the heat and let the chops rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
    

To Serve

12. Drizzle each chop with a teaspoon of the chilled herb oil.
13. Serve with a side of roasted grapes and lemon wedges for squeezing over.
    

Enjoy!

A collaboration with R.M. Williams x Amber Rose
Photography by Greta Kenyon for Wild Delicious