Tips For Grilled Pork Chops
- When selecting a pork chop to grill, look for ones with the bone in. Bone in pork chops tend to have better flavor when grilling and the bone helps add moisture.
- To keep pork chops moist on the grill, try this All-Purpose Marinade.
- For extra flavor, try using apple or cherry wood chunks to add a fruity, smoky flavor that compliments pork well. This BBQ Rub is also packed with flavor and tastes delicious on pork.
- The best way to determine if your pork chops are done on the grill is to use a digital cooking thermometer or meat probe. The safe internal temperature of pork chops is 145°F.
Should I Brine Pork Chops
Yes, you should brine! I cant recommend brining enough. Its really easy to do, and it really helps any kind of lean meat, from pork chops to chicken breasts to turkey, stay juicy and flavorful. Especially if youre cooking over a high, dry heat like you have with a grill.
If you prefer a marinade to add more flavor, try out this pork chop marinade recipe. Its got brown sugar, soy sauce, mustard, and all sorts of delicious things.
Trick For Perfectly Cooked Pork Chops
- Pork is considered safe to eat at 145 degrees F. Its internal temperature will continue to rise as the pork rests, however, so if you wait until your pork chop hits 145 on the grill, it will be overcooked by the time you eat it.
- I prefer to pull pork from the grill when it reaches 135 degrees F, covering it, and letting it rest for 10 minutes to let the carry over cooking finish the job and the meats juices to reincorporate. This method yields perfectly cooked, juicy pork every time!
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Brine Your Pork Chops For The Juiciest Results
One of the best things you can do to increase juiciness when cooking lean meats like pork chops is brining. Brining meats helps to break down the proteins in their muscle fibers, preventing them from squeezing and drying out during cooking. The salt in the brine dissolves some of the proteins, forming a gel capable of holding on to more water. With more water and the protein structure of the meat altered, the meat will be juicier and more tender.
Plus, you can help impart a little bit of flavor to the chops by brining them, so its a real win/win.
When making the brine, I find it expedient to make it using only half the water, then adding ice to cool it and bring it to a proper dilution. Just be sure to use your Thermapen to check the temp of the brine before adding the chops. Food safety practices say that meat can be in the range between 40°F and 70°F for four hours. Getting the brine on the cool side before you put it in the fridge will ensure that you arent hanging out in that zone for too long.
Note: After you brine your chops but before you cook them, dry them well with some paper towels. A wet surface will not brown, and youll pump too much heat into the meat as you try to cook off that water. Starting with meat that has been dried off will help you get better browning without overcooking.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Pork Chops On The Grill
First off, pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. We recommend using a meat thermometer if you are learning to grill. The following cuts give an estimate of the cook time per side when using the charcoal properly.
Charcoal should be lit in a charcoal oven and poured out into the bottom of the grill to become gray and smolder. You are ready to grill when an outstretched hand held over the grill grates can be held stationary over the coals for 2 seconds only. This is the proper heat for grilling.
For Best Results, our Guide Recommends Grilling One Side With a Nice Sear and Then Finishing On the Remaining Side Until the Temperature Probe Registers 145 Degrees.
The times listed are for grilling pork chops with the lid off of the grill during spring or summer. During cool weather, you may choose to place the lid on the grill to keep the heat in the chamber.)
It takes 4-5 minutes on one side to sear any piece of meat. Prioritize searing at least one side for the best flavor, then flipping the chop and cooking until its just done.
| 1/2 inch pork chops | |
| 4-5 minutes on the first side | 1-2 minutes on the second side |
Add 2 minutes per half-inch for thick pork chops beyond this guide.
- Bone-in pork chops 4-5 minutes, 4-5 minutes
- Boneless chops 4-5 minutes, 1-2 minutes
Depending on the thickness of your pork chops, a chop can cook from 4-8 minutes on each side.
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How To Make Pork Chops On The Pellet Grill
We threw these on the grill after a healthy dose of our BBQ Rub along with my perfect grilled asparagus. They grill at 450° for about 6 minutes a side, or until the internal temp reaches 145°. That makes this a perfect weeknight dinner that comes together really fast, and the whole family will love.
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Fred Thompsons Top 3 Rules For Grilling Pork Chops
| Rule #1: Go thick, not thin. Dont try to grill thin pork chops. Bread them and fry them, and theyll taste great. But if you put them on the grill, theyll cook too fast and end up tough and flavorless. Buy chops that are at least 3/4 to 1 inch thick. He prefers bone-in chops, like a gracefully-curved rib chop or a husky, center-cut T-bone, which cook more evenly and have more flavor than boneless chops. |
| Rule #2: Brine, brine, brine. Brining pork chops, even for a short time, provides a little wiggle room on doneness. If you are forgetful and cook the chops for a minute or two too long, the brine will help keep the meat moist. And remember to pat the chops dry with paper towels so they sear, rather than steam, on the grill. |
| Rule #3: Watch the heat. Pork doesnt like high heat. Put a chop over a hot fire and youll end up with a tough piece of meat, even if youve brined it. Setting up your grill for indirect grilling is a good way to go. You can put a quick sear on both sides of the chop and then move it to the indirect-heat area for slower cooking. |
Try one of his recipesbrined pork chops with grilled summer stone fruitthat makes the most of all of the above guidelines.
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How Long Do You Cook Pork Chops On The Grill And What Temperature
Oil your grill grate, then place the chops on the hot grill. Cook them, turning about every 90 seconds until a Thermapen inserted into the center reads about 135°F . This should take about 57 minutes. Pull from the grill and allow to rest on a cutting board, tented with foil, for about 5-10 minutes.
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And To Cook Boneless Pork Chops On A Grill
When it comes to grilling, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to ensure that your food is cooked properly. One of the most important factors is temperature.
Pork chops are a great option for grilling, but if theyre not cooked to the proper temperature, they can be dry and tough. However, there are a few things that can affect cooking time, such as the thickness of the chops and whether or not theyre bone-in or boneless.
When cooking boneless pork chops on a grill, its best to err on the side of caution and pull them off when they reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
They will continue to cook after being removed from the heat, so this will ensure that theyre juicy and delicious. With a little practice, youll be a grill master in no time!
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What Kind Of Pork Chops Do I Need For Grilling Pork Chops
I would strongly suggest you go for thicker, bone-in pork chops for these grilled pork chops. This is what will be used in the recipe for grilled pork chops that will be given in this guide.
All you will need to do is to go to a local butcher or a meat counter in a local grocery store around you or anywhere. Then, you are to request 2 lbs of thick-cut bone-in pork chops.
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How To Grill Pork Chops : Overview
Whether its the summer grilling season and you need to add some variety to your weekly backyard barbecue or you want something hearty and full of flavor to pair with your winter squash, grilled pork chops are the ideal and often forgotten meat.
The key, however, is knowing exactly what goes into grilling the perfect juicy pork chop. Weve all had the disappointing chewy, dry, and overcooked pork chop. Taking a few simple steps will ensure you have perfectly cooked juicy pork chops.
- 1 half freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions:
Pro Tips:
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How To Prepare Pork Chops
Just like when preparing steaks for the grill, pork chops are easy to prepare. There are two ways I recommend preparing your pork chops for the grill. The first way is with a dry rub or seasoning. This BBQ Rub is excellent and pairs perfectly with pork adding a delicious, smokey flavor. After coating one side of the pork chop, gently press the seasoning into the pork with your fingers or palm, dont rub it in. Rubbing seasonings into any cut of meat tends to make for an uneven coating, making each bite inconsistent in flavor.
The other way is by marinading. Marinading is a great method for cheaper, thinner cuts of meats which pork chops tend to be. Try this All-Purpose Marinade when your looking for added flavor and tenderness. To do this, first place the pork chops in a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over them. Next, let as much air out of the bag as possible to allow the marinade to coat the pork evenly. Finally, allow them to marinate between 30 minutes and 3 hours.
The First Step: Brining
A brine is a salt water solution that penetrates meat it adds extra liquid resulting in juicier meat. Brining make the difference between a dry and flavorless chop and a juicy, tasty pork chop
What you need for the brine:
The general rule for brine is 1 tablespoon of salt and sugar per 1 cup of water. The sugar offsets the salt, preventing the pork from tasting too salty.
Combine the brine ingredients in a large container and stir until mixed. Add pork chops and cover. Refrigerate for two hours. Feel free to add any herbs or spices to the brine this will lightly enhance the brine but wont overpower the natural flavor of the protein. After two hours, remove the pork chops from the brine and rinse thoroughly to remove any extra salt from the surface. Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
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The Taste Of Home Test Kitchen Shares Their Expert Tips For How To Grill Juicy Flavor
When Im dreaming up my dinner menus, pork chops always fall to the bottom of the list. They take the back seat to favorites like flaky baked salmon or juicy grilled chicken. The reason? No matter what I do, I tend to overcook themleaving my meal dull, dry and desperate to be drenched in applesauce.
This is a shame, because I know pork chops can make a delicious dinner thats easy on the wallet. Its time to make a change. Expert food editor James Schend agreed to share his best tips for cooking moist, tender and flavor-packed pork chops.
How To Make Pork Chops On A Gas Grill
Making homemade marinades is so easy, far more cost-effective than buying them, and you can doctor them up with what you have on hand and enjoy. Ive provided instructions on grilling pork chops on a gas grill below, but have also given charcoal grill instructions in the recipe card below.
To make this homemade marinade and pork chops on the grill, simply do the following:
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients except the pork chops and parsley in a large ziptop bag.
Step 2: Add the pork chops to the bag, seal, and squish everything around to combine and coat evenly.
Step 3: Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 4: Preheat an outdoor gas grill to medium and when its hot, add the pork chops.
Step 5: Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes per side and then let the chops rest off the grill.
Step 6: Optionally garnish with parsley and serve!
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What Temp And How Long To Bake Pork Chops
The USDA recommends that pork chops be baked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F before eating for food safety.
Generally, the temperature and bake time will depend on the thickness of your pork chops and your choice of side dish being baked along with them.
However, you need to use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
- 400°F bake for 17-19 minutes
- 375°F bake for 22-25 minutes
- 350°F bake for 35 minutes
You can also broil for the last two minutes until theyre nicely browned while sealing in the juices.
How To Reverse Sear Pork Chops On A Grill
One popular way to get the most smoke flavor, the perfect cooking temperature, and those appetizing grill marks, is to reverse-sear the pork chops.
Set the Traeger grill temperature to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and preheat, with the lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Because of the lower temperature, you’ll more than double the cooking time. Cook at the same temp for 60 minutes .
After you reach an hour, you should remove the pork chops from your grill and set your temperature to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the grill is hot, place the pork chop back on the grill and sear for three minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit . Then rest for at least three minutes and serve.
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Best Grilled Pork Chop Marinade
We absolutely love marinating pork because it really does infuse the entire piece of meat with juicy flavor.
Our go-to grilled pork chop marinade recipe is sweet, and salty and does wonders for flavoring your chops! Heres what you need:
- Soy sauce: add a richness of salt perfect for breaking down the tendons in yoru pork.
- Brown sugar: sugar helps balance out the saltiness with some sweet.
- Worcestershire sauce: we love Worcestershire sauce in marinades becuase its savory and tangy all at the same time.
- Garlic: feel free to use minced garlic or mince your own garlic cloves.
- Lemon juice: a little citrus pulls all of these flavors together.
All you have to do is combine all of this in a large bowl and youre ready to marinate your pork!
How To Keep Pork Chops From Drying Out
My fondest childhood memories are eating over at my grandmothers house. That sweet, southern woman could cook the perfect fried chicken, but give her a pork chop and she would serve up a tough leathery hockey puck. Its the reason weve all shied away from cooking pork chops for so long! Am I right? But fear not. There are tried and true ways to ensure those chops are tender and juicy.
- Buy bone-in pork chops, ideally the center-cut rib chop, which is the most tender.
- Thick pork chops are key. Anything less that ¾ in thickness will inevitably end up cooking too quickly and drying out.
- If you do end up with a different cut or a boneless pork chop, soaking them in a salt water brine for a minimum of 30 minutes tenderizes the meat throughout the chop.
- Bringing the meat to room temperature helps the meat cook more evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure your pork chops reach exactly 145 degrees, and remove them from the grill immediately.
- Make sure your pork chops get their moment of rest . The fibers of the meat relax as it is resting, and this gives the pork chops the juicy tenderness we all aspire to.
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