I'm not playing around…these are the BEST Grilled Pork Chops. A quick soak in an easy brine makes for perfect grilled pork chops every. single. time.
When you pick out something to throw on the grill, skip the chicken and expensive steaks and head right over to the pork section. This lean meat is versatile and grills up quickly. I promise it won’t be dry as long as you do one step before throwing it on the grill - brining! Here’s how I grill a juicy, flavorful pork chop every. single. time.
WHAT CUT OF PORK CHOP TO USE TO MAKE THE BEST GRILLED PORK CHOPS
When I buy pork chops, there are a lot of options. Chops come from different areas of the loin. The loin is near the shoulder - the fattiest cut. Rib chops are leaner and have a large, smooth section of meat. Bone-in center-cut chops have both the loin and tenderloin. The sirloin is from the back end and has lots of muscles.
For grilling, I like bone-in center-cut chops since they’re tender and don’t have too many chewy muscles. I personally like bone-in. That's because I like nibbling on the meat attached to the bones, but boneless will work too. I always buy pork chops that are at least 1-inch thick, as thinner pork chops tend to cook too quickly before they have a chance to develop a nice crust on the outside.
For this recipe I used Cream Co. Meats Heritage Breed Bone-In Pork Chop that I purchased from Imperfect Foods.
WHAT IS BRINING?
It’s a good rule of thumb to always brine pork chops before grilling. Because pork chops are fairly lean, submerging them in a brine does two things. First, it keeps the meat moist by introducing extra moisture, which provides a little insurance in case the meat gets a little overcooked. Second, it evenly seasons the meat beyond just the surface.
The base of this easy brine is just cold water that I whisked with salt. I like to add some sugar to help with browning on the grill, and I also like to add in aromatics like citrus peel, peppercorns, or bay leaves (or all three!). Kosher salt is what I use in my brine.
Brining doesn’t have to be elaborate. Since these are chops and not a big bird, like a turkey, I like to brine the pork for only 30 minutes. It does wonders, and that’s about how long it’ll take to heat up the grill. The chops can sit in the brine for up to two hours, but I don’t go beyond that. The texture of the meat can get spongy. Sometimes I even even brine individually frozen pork chops. I just put them in the brine for the full two hours.
PREPARING THE BEST GRILLED PORK CHOPS
After the pork chops are brined, there’s no need to rinse them off with water. I simply dry them very well with paper towels. I simply sprinkle on some black pepper, or go with your favorite spice or spice rub. Make sure to use a spice rub that doesn’t contain salt, as you’ve already seasoned the chops.
HOW TO COOK THE BEST GRILLED PORK CHOPS
When preparing an outdoor grill for pork chops, I need to heat it for two levels of heat. The chops get seared over high heat to get those gorgeous grill marks for about three minutes per side, then moved over to medium heat to finish cooking, which will take anywhere from four to seven minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. This creates a nice crust on the outside and juicy meat inside. And remember to keep the grill covered the whole time so that heat doesn’t escape.
The pork chops are ready when I register 145°F on my thermoteter in the thickest chop. Don’t serve the chops just yet! Let them rest for five minutes so that the juices in the meat redistribute themselves and the muscle fibers relax. When I'm feeling saucy, I serve the grilled pork chops with some chimichurri or sweet and tangy barbecue sauce on the side.
WINE PAIRING
This dish pairs perfectly with Tablas Creek Vineyards 2020 Patelin de Tablas.
📋 Recipe
The BEST Grilled Pork Chops
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Ingredients
- 6 cups cold water
- ⅓ cup Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons granulate sugar
- Optional brine flavorings: 4 strips citrus peels 4 smashed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried or fresh herbs or whole spices, or 2 bay leaves
- 4 bone-in or boneless pork chops at least 1-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper or salt free spice rub
Instructions
- Place cold water, kosher salt, and granulated sugar (and flavorings if using) in a large bowl. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Add 4 pork chops and make sure they are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- About 20 minutes before you’re ready to cook, heat an outdoor grill. For a charcoal grill, arrange the lit coals over one half of the grill and leave the other side empty. For a gas grill, heat all burners to high (at least 450°F).
- Remove the chops from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chops very dry with paper towels. Season all over with black pepper or spice rub.
- Scrape the grill grates clean if needed. If using a gas grill, lower one of the burners to medium heat. Place the chops on the hotter side of the grill, cover, and cook until grill marks appear on the bottom, about 3 minutes per side.
- Move the pork chops to the cooler part of the grill. Cover and cook, flipping every few minutes, until the thickest piece registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, 4 to 7 minutes more depending on the thickness of the chops.
- Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
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