This recipe for Perfectly Grilled Pork Chops appeared first on the blog four years ago. It deserved an upgrade with new photos and text. With this marinade and simple set of tips you’ll achieve perfectly grilled pork chops all summer long.
I grill a lot of pork so I’m pretty confident in giving advice on how to get perfectly grilled pork chops. A humble dinner fork is used to poke holes in the meat to help tenderize the pork for the grill. A citrusy marinade continues the process of ensuring tasty and tender pork chops. And a digital meat thermometer makes sure the chops aren’t over-cooked.
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A long time ago pork was raised differently and pork needed to be essentially over-cooked to ensure safety. That’s not true now, thankfully. The pork industry is so well-regulated that the meat is safe to eat when cooked like a steak. The Ohio Pork Council says, “properly cooked pork is cooked to 145° F, removed from the heat and allowed to rest for three minutes before slicing. Cooking to 145° will result in tender, juicy pork that will have a blush of pink in the center.”
Pork chops are economical too. Really beautiful, thick-cut pork chops are a fraction of the cost of a premium steak. I love steak on the grill too, don’t get me wrong. But pork is a great option when you’re really trying to stay within a budget at the grocery store. In the summertime, add some sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob along side these perfectly grilled pork chops and you have a simple and most definitely delicious meal.
Tips for Perfectly Grilled Pork Chops:
- Poke the chops thoroughly with a fork before marinating
- The longer you can marinate the pork chops before grilling, the more flavorful the chops will be
- Use an instant read digital thermometer like this one to accurately grill the pork
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Perfectly Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 8 oz each pork chops
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together all the marinade ingredients, lemon juice through black pepper. Poke each boneless pork chop generously with a fork. Place the pork and the marinade in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least two hours. Make sure to massage the marinade in the bag so each chop is well coated.
- Preheat grill to high and scrape clean. Turn all burners to low and allow to run for at least 10 minutes so the grill comes down to temperature.
- Place the pork chops on the grill and close the lid. Allow to grill on the first side undisturbed for 5 minutes (3/4-inch thick) to 8 minutes (1 1/2-inch thick).
- Turn chops over and continue to grill until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Remove pork chops to a clean plate or cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Meggen Kramer says
Most of these comments are from last year, so I hope someone can get back to me. Followed your cooking instructions with my favorite brown sugar burbon rub and marinated overnight in a small amount of olive oil. They were amzing! I normally use thin porkchops that are higher fat contact bc they are most tender, but I would love to know if using a thick cut of meat would still turn out the same result in tenderness with these directions.
foodtasticmom says
I usually use a thicker cut. Leaner pork is not quite as tender but the key is cooking it to the right temperature. 145 and a 3 minute rest will yield the juiciest pork possible. But a leaner cut just isn’t going to be quite as tender – but it will still be good! Hope that helps. I’m glad your first go at this recipe was a success!