These delicious Perfect Grilled Pork Chops are so tender and flavorful you'll be making them all summer long! The key to this moist and tender meat is in the brine… salt, sugar, herbs, spices, and water. The Pork chop brine infuses the meat with flavor and helps keep it tender and juicy while grilling those chops to perfection.
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The Best Pork Chop Recipe
I think pork chops are an under-appreciated cut of meat. They’re inexpensive, relatively lean, readily available, and can take on any flavor you want them to with a brine, marinade, or by basting them.
And when you grill them they take on even more savory deliciousness.
I’m all about grilling my protein! These are some of my favorite grilling recipes:
- Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp
- Grilled Rosemary Lemon Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp
- Grilled Rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs
Grilling the perfect pork chops (gluten-free)
Lately, I’m all about bone-in pork chop recipes… it's lean meat, inexpensive, tender, and delicious.
Come to Mama.
And since it’s summertime, and we’re all still grilling and chilling, I’m all about cooking up the perfect pork chop on the grill.
It has taken some experimenting (which has been amazingly delicious) and I finally have the foolproof method and I can’t wait to share it with you.
It all starts with the right cut of meat.
What kind of pork chops should I buy for grilling?
Bone in pork chops are the best for grilling. You want to purchase a pork chop that is at least 1 inch thick to use on the grill… and 1½ to 2-inch thickness is ideal.
A center-cut rib chop or loin chop is what you’re looking for.
If you don’t see any at your grocery store, just ask at the meat counter and they can cut them for you. Ask for a 1½ to 2-inch “bone-in center cut rib chop or loin chop.” Either of these would be a great option for the grill.
Next, it’s all about the brine. Yep – we’re all about the brine.
What is brine?
Brine is used to submerge meats before cooking, to infuse them with flavor, and to keep them tender. This helps the meat to draw in moisture (and salt) adding tons of flavor.
I’ve created a brine that includes salt, sugar, herbs, and seasonings. I use water as my base but you could swap it out for apple cider, cranberry juice, or even white wine. There are no limits as long as you’ve got salt, sugar, and liquid.
This simple pork chop brine makes any cut of pork savory and delicious.
I’ve actually started brining all my pork chops before I grill them. It’s just a little extra work, but the reward of juicy tender meat is totally worth it. Plus, it’s still gluten-free.
Here’s how it goes.
How to brine pork chops?
Start by dissolving salt and sugar in 2 cups of boiling water. Add garlic, peppercorns, herbs, and spices to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.
Pour the liquid into a large mixing bowl. Add ice and an additional 2 cups of water and stir.
When the liquid brine is at room temperature, add the pork chops. Cover, refrigerate, and let the chops soak up the brine for 2-6 hours (don’t let them brine longer than 12 hours or the meat may start to break down or taste too salty).
Rinse the pork chops off and pat them dry with paper towels. Then cook your pork as desired.
My favorite way to prepare them is by grilling them.
How to grill pork chops?
Pull the chops out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking. Remove them from the brine, rinse them, pat them dry, and spritz them with cooking spray or brush them with olive oil.
Heat your grill to high heat, about 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grill the chops by searing the first side for 3-4 minutes over high heat (400-450 degrees). Try to avoid any hot spots on your grill.
The perfect pork chop temp
Flip the chops over and reduce the heat to 350-400 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 140 degrees with your digital meat thermometer. (If your chops are well browned but register less than 140 degrees, move them to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking).
Let the pork chops rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
I'm guessing these grilled pork chops will be in your meal plan lineup on the regular. They are so tender and juicy with a nice savory smokiness. What's not to love?
The Perfect Grilled Pork Chops (Gluten Free)
The Perfect Grilled Pork Chops - Brined with salt, sugar, herbs and spices, these chops are full of flavor, tender, and juicy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups water at room temperature
- ¼ cup salt / 3 tablespoons sea salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 10 stems of fresh thyme
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 4 pork chops
Instructions
To Brine The Pork Chops:
- In a medium-sized pot add 2 cups of water, kosher salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and garlic.
- Bring it to a boil over high heat, turn down to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Make sure the salt and sugar have dissolved in the water.
- Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour into a large mixing bowl. Now add 2 cups cold water and 2 cups ice cubes.
- It will take about 4-5 minutes for the brine to cool completely. Then add the pork chops, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Place the brined pork chops in the fridge and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours.
- Rinse and pat the pork chops to dry them before cooking then spritz with cooking spray.
- If you add any additional seasoning to the pork chops before cooking, use herbs and spices **without salt!!**
To Grill The Pork Chops:
- Pull the chops out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking. Remove them from the brine, rinse them, pat them dry, and spritz them with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
- Heat your grill to high heat, about 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grill the chops by searing the first side for 3-4 minutes over high heat (400-450 degrees). Try to avoid any hot spots on your grill.
- Flip the chops over and reduce the heat to 350-400 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 140 degrees with your digital meat thermometer. (If your chops are well browned but register less than 140 degrees, move them to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking).
- Let the chops rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Purchase pork that has not been pre-brined. A lot of pork in grocery stores has a saline solution so using brine on that will make it too salty.
- The brine must be completely cool before adding the pork.
- Don't brine them too long (no more than 12 hours) or the meat can take on a mushy texture.
- To season the pork before cooking, use herbs and spices without salt.
- Do not store the 'used' brine. Once your pork has been brined, discard the brining liquid.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 Pork ChopAmount Per Serving Calories 397Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 95mgSodium 800mgCarbohydrates 2gNet Carbohydrates 1gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 41g
This nutrition card uses an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. This estimate is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice!
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