Sink your teeth into the perfect quick dinner with our grilled pork chops recipe. This simple recipe packs in tender, juicy bites with flame-kissed smoky flavor for simple cookouts or family meals. The trick to amazing flavor is not taking the meat past 145 degrees F, you master that, and everything else is easy.
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In this recipe:
There’s something about juicy grilled pork chops that are both nostalgic and steakhouse-worthy, satisfying with every bite. When you can get the perfect cook on this timeless pork recipe, keeping the middle tender and juicy, that’s when the magic is right. But the trick to the best grilled pork chops is not cooking the meat past 145 degrees F because, just like pork tenderloin, this lean cut dries out quickly and gets tough. This easy grilled pork chop recipe shows you just how we lock in that amazing flame-kissed flavor from the grill every time.
🍖 The Cut: What are pork Chops?
Pork chops come from high on the back of the pig, where the pork loin comes from. The loin is a naturally lean cut, but you will often see bone-in pork chops with a layer of fat kept on the outside. This adds both to the flavor and to keep moisture locked in when you’re cooking. Unlike pork steaks, the bone is on the outside, like a ribeye steak, making them easy to slice.
When grilling or oven-roasting, we prefer bone-in pork chops. But, know that thicker or double-cut pork chops, may be ideal for smoking to slowly reach the desired internal temp without overcooking. For thinner boneless chops, we love quick-cooking recipes like shake-and-bake pork chops.
For perfect grilled pork chops, look for bone-in chops that are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. When buying pork chops in bulk packages at your local market, check to see that they are all evenly sized.
Ingredients for Grilled Pork Chops
This is a great recipe that only requires a few simple ingredients to get amazing juicy pork chops.
- Pork Chop Marinade – You don’t have to marinate pork chops to get great grill marks. But a good marinade can really amp up the flavor.
- Bone-in pork chops – you can pick these up at your local grocery store or use one of our trusted places to buy meat online, like Porter Road, if you’re celebrating a special occasion.
- Compound butter – we love our herb compound butter, chimichurri butter or even our roasted garlic compound butter recipe to slather on top with the chops rest.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to grill pork chops
- Start with locking in extra flavor by marinating the chops. Marinate for 2 hours in the fridge before cooking. Or dry brine with your favorite pork rub for up to 8 hours. If using a store-bought dry brine or rub, we recommend looking for ones with minimal brown sugar so it doesn’t burn.
- When ready to grill, set up your grill for indirect heat. For a gas grill, allow the grill to preheat with all burners set to high. Clean and oil the grill grates. Turn off two of the burners to create a cool zone and a hot zone. You want your grill at medium-high heat, around 400 to 450 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, remove the pork chops from the marinade and pat dry. Discard the remaining marinade. Allow the chops to sit on a clean plate at room temperature for 20 minutes while the grill preheats.
- When ready to grill, place the bone-in pork chops on the hot side of the grill and sear for two to four minutes for great grill marks. Then flip the pork chops and move them to the cooler side of the grill and cover the lid. Allow the chops to cook until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes longer. When grilling pork, it’s particularly important to use a digital meat thermometer to get the most accurate results. Anything over 140F and the chops will dry out quickly.
- Once the chops have reached 140 degrees F, remove them from the grill to a clean cutting board and place a dollop of compound butter over each. Tent with aluminum foil and rest for 5 minutes. As the pork rests, it will continue to cook, a process called carryover cooking, to an internal temperature of 145F.
- Serve the pork chops immediately with a pinch of salt and pepper, a sprinkle of freshly minced parsley, or bastse them with your favorite barbecue sauce, like our homemade keto bbq sauce. Or try something even a little more exciting like red chimichurri or our favorite chimichurri sauce.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- Pork chops properly cooked to 145 degrees F may still have a slightly pink center. That’s ok, as long as the meat reaches the proper internal temperature. That’s why it’s so important to use a good instant-read thermometer for tender pork chops.
- Want a little extra flavor? Use wood chips to smoke on a gas grill. Post oak or maple wood chips are our favorite flavors for when grilling chops.
- The trick to the best pork chops is making sure your grill grates are cleaned and well-oiled. Don’t skip this step or you will be fighting the chops as they stick. Resist pulling the chops because it could rip the meat.
For a pellet grill
Marinate the pork chops as instructed in the recipe card. When ready to cook, preheat the pellet smoker to 400 degrees F. Because a pellet smoker doesn’t have a cool side and a hot side, you will need to keep an eye on the chops and rotate more not to overcook. Grill the chops for two minutes and rotate them 90 degrees. Grill for two minutes more. Flip the chops and repeat. Continue to cook the chops until they reach 140 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.
For a charcoal grill
Prep the pork chops as instructed in the recipe card. When you’re ready to grill, prep your charcoal grill for a 2-zone fire. Arrange lit coals on one side of the grill to create indirect and direct heat. If using smoking wood, add it now. Place the grill grate back on top and make sure it’s clean and well-oiled. Cover with the lid and adjust the air vents to allow the grill to preheat to around 400 to 450 degrees F. Grill the chops as instructed in the recipe card.
What to serve with pork chops
Pork chops are one of those easy dinners that go with all of your favorite side dishes. We love these with something as simple as an Appalachia buttermilk cucumber salad for light freshness and smoked baked beans or even smoked cabbage and rajas con crema with grilled corn on the cob on the side. Alternatively, make this a childhood classic with Dutch oven mac and cheese, an easy veggie like roasted broccoli and of course, apple sauce.
Leftovers and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, we slice off what we’re going to use and sear it quickly. If reheating an entire pork chop, wrap it in foil and reheat it in an oven preheated to 325 for 7 to 10 minutes.
More pork chop recipes
Recipes With Pork
Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Recipes With Pork
Pan Seared Pork Chops
Grilling Recipes
Perfect Smoked Thick Cut Pork Chops
Recipes With Pork
Baked Bone-In Pork Chop
Grilled pork chops are a family favorite that never fails to tantalize taste buds with their smoky, juicy goodness. When you want an easy recipe that adds just a bit more flavor, this is our go-to if you have a grill to fire up. However, when the weather is rough, we love thick chops in the air fryer too. Either way, we think pork chops need a solid comeback to the center of the plate more often. They are such an easy protein to cook, that take well to a variety of sweet or savory flavors.
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The Best Grilled Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 1 cup Pork Chop Marinade
- 1 lbs Bone-in pork chops about 1 inch thick
To Serve
- 2 tbsp Compound butter
- Salt and black pepper
- Parsley minced
Instructions
Marinate the pork chops:
- Start by marinate the pork chops for 2 hours in a resealable ziplock bag or airtight container in the fridge.
- Alternatively you can dry brine the chops for up to 8 hours.
Prep the grill:
- When ready to cook, prep the grill for indirect heat by creating a two-zone fire. Allow the grill to preheat with all burners set to high for about 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grates.
- Then turn off 2 of the 4 or 2 of the 3 burners to create a cool zone and a hot zone. If using wood chips, add them to a smoker box and place them on the grill now.
- Close the lid and allow the grill to come to around a steady 400 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, remove the pork chops from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and let them rest at room temperature until the grill is ready.
Grill the pork chops:
- To grill the pork chops, place the chops on the the hot size of the grill on the oiled grill grates.
- Allow the chops to cook for two minutes.
- Using grilling tongs, gently lift and rotate the chop 90 degrees for expert grill marks and cook another two minutes.
- Then flip the chops and transfer them to the cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and allow them to cook 5 to 7 minutes longer, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F with an instant read thermometer.
Rest and Serve:
- Transfer the pork chops from the grill and set them on a clean cutting board or baking sheet to rest.
- Top each with a slice of compound butter and tent them loosely with foil.
- As the pork chops rest, they will continue to cook 5 degrees to 145 degrees F.
- Slice the meat from the bone and then into thin strips, against the grain to serve.
- Garnish with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and freshly minced parsley for a pop of herbs.
Notes
- See our recipe for a quick and easy pork chop marinade.
- Serve the pork chops immediately with a pinch of salt and pepper, a sprinkle of freshly minced parsley, or something even a little more exciting like red chimichurri or cilantro chimichurri.
- Pork chops properly cooked to 145 degrees F may still have a slightly pink center. That’s ok, as long as the meat reaches the proper internal temperature. That’s why it’s so important to use a good instant-read thermometer for tender pork chops.
- Want a little extra flavor? Use wood chips to smoke on a gas grill. Post oak or maple wood chips are our favorite flavors for when grilling chops.
- The trick to the best pork chops is making sure your grill grates are cleaned and well-oiled. Don’t skip this step or you will be fighting the chops as they stick. Resist pulling the chops because they could rip.
FOR A PELLET GRILL
Marinate the pork chops as instructed in the recipe card. When ready to cook, preheat the pellet smoker to 400 degrees F. Because a pellet smoker doesn’t have a cool side and a hot side, you will need to keep an eye on the chops and rotate more not to overcook. Grill the chops for two minutes and rotate them 90 degrees. Grill for two minutes more. Flip the chops and repeat. Continue to cook the chops until they reach 140 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL
Prep the pork chops as instructed in the recipe card. When you’re ready to grill, prep your charcoal grill for a 2-zone fire. Arrange lit coals on one side of the grill to create indirect and direct heat. If using smoking wood, add it now. Place the grill grate back on top and make sure it’s clean and well-oiled. Cover with the lid and adjust the air vents to allow the grill to preheat to around 400 to 450 degrees F. Grill the chops as instructed in the recipe card.Nutrition
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Recipe FAQs
The best way to keep pork chops juicy on the grill is to not overcook them. Use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 140°F and rest the pork to 145°F for perfectly juicy bites.
These chops are grilled hot and fast over a two-zone fire. You want to prep your grill to around 400 degrees F.
Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the chops. On average, one-inch bone-in pork chops will take about 4 to 5 minutes per side on a preheated grill.
