The Secret to Tender Grilled Pork Chops
Table of Contents
If you’ve ever made grilled pork chops and had them turn out dry and tough, you’re not alone. However, deliciously tender, juicy chops are a cinch to make provided you have the right cut of pork and an hour to bathe them in a simple brine before cooking. We also like to coat them with our own homemade barbecue rub. It adds a subtle, smoky flavor and the sugar in it caramelizes on the outside of the chops like a glaze.
Ingredient Notes
These tasty chops turn out perfectly every time when you choose the right cut of pork and brine them for an hour or so in a simple solution of water, kosher salt, and sugar.
- Choosing the right cut of pork chops for brining and grilling: Bone-in rib chops are our number one choice for grilling. Choose chops between 3/4 and 1-inch thick with nice marbling and resist the urge to trim them as the rim of fat around the outside adds extra moisture and flavor. If you can’t get bone-in rib chops, the next best choice would be bone-in, center-cut pork loin chops. These chops are tender and flavorful, but generally have less marbling than rib chops and consequently are not quite as juicy.
- Our easy-to-make brine for pork: A quick and easy brine made with water, kosher salt, sugar, and a couple of cloves of garlic helps to tenderize the pork chops and keep them moist and juicy despite the intense heat of the grill. During grilling season we make up a couple of quarts of this brine (minus the garlic) and keep it refrigerated. It can also be used on pork tenderloin, boneless chicken breasts, and even salmon fillets.
Note: For those of you that are watching your intake of sugar, we’ve been told that a sugar substitute like Splenda can be used in the brine. The key is to cut back on the quantity. Read the comments below for more details. - A homemade dry rub adds great barbecue flavor: This recipe calls for a coating of our Smoky BBQ Rub to be added to the chops just before grilling. It’s a simple mixture of sweet and smoked paprika, salt, pepper, brown sugar, dry mustard, onion powder, and garlic powder, and it’s the same one we use for our pulled pork recipe. If you don’t want to fuss with making a rub, no worries, it’s not imperative as the brine adds sweet and savory flavor and a hint of garlic.
How to Grill Perfect Juicy Pork Chops
This is an overview of how this dish is made. You’ll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Brine the chops: Combine half of the water with the salt and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved, then remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of cold water along with 2 cloves of garlic. Set the brine aside to cool, then pour it into a large, heavy-duty zip-top bag and add the pork chops. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly. Refrigerate the chops for 1 hour, turning the bag over after 30 minutes.
- Prepare the chops for grilling: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry on both sides with paper towels. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of our Smoky BBQ Rub on each side of the chops and rub it into the meat with the back of a spoon. Alternately, you can rub them with a little olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Because of the salt in the brine, be careful when seasoning the outside of the meat.
- Grill the chops: Oil the grill grates thoroughly and add the chops. Grill for 4 minutes on the first side, turn and continue grilling until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes additional. You can check for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of each chop. Remove them from the grill when they reach an internal temperature of 135 to 140°F (for medium). Allow the pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Brined Pork Chops FAQs
We prefer a water, salt, and sugar brine using the following measurements: 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1 cup water.
We recommend a minimum of 1 hour of brining for pork chops that are 3/4 to 1-inch thick, but they can remain in the brine for up to 4 hours without any harm. Prepare your brine making sure that the sugar and salt dissolve completely, then let it cool before adding the meat. Never put warm brine on raw meat.
For safety, all meat should be refrigerated while being brined and you should always let the brine cool at least to room temperature before adding the meat.
It is not necessary to rinse pork chops after brining, but they should be patted dry with paper towels before cooking. Whether you’re grilling, roasting, broiling, or pan-searing your chops, making sure they are dry on the outside will ensure that they are nicely browned.
Serving Suggestions
For a truly tasty summer meal, serve these tender pork chops with Light and Creamy Coleslaw, Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad, and Easy Peach Cobbler for dessert.
More Pork Chop Recipes
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Juicy Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork rib chops 3/4 to 1-inch thick – see notes
- 2-1/2 to 3 tablespoons [Smoky BBQ Rub]
For the brine:
- 4 cups water divided
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
Instructions
- Make the brine by combining 2 cups of water with the salt and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until all the salt and sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of cold water along with the garlic. Set aside.
- Once the brine has cooled completely, pour it into a large, heavy-duty zip-top bag and add the pork chops. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly. Refrigerate the chops for 1 hour, turning the bag over after 30 minutes to ensure even brining.
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry on both sides with paper towels. Discard the brine.
- If desired, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the Smoky BBQ Rub on each side of the chops and rub it into the meat with the back of a spoon. Alternately, you can rub them with a little olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Because of the salt in the brine you'll want to be sure to go easy when seasoning the outside of the meat.
- Oil the grill grates and add the chops. Grill for 4 minutes on the first side, turn and continue grilling until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes additional. Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer and remove the chops from the grill when they reach 135 to 140°F (for medium). Allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Linda says
Supper was a success. The pork chops were quite tender. Remember I said I would be using Splenda instead of sugar. I used 1/4 cup of Splenda instead of 1/2 cup. I find Splenda to be sweeter then sugar. In this brine recipe I would reduce the Splenda even more. Maybe as little as 1 Tbsp. It was an excellent meal.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for sharing your modification to the brine solution. This is excellent information for anyone who needs to restrict their intake of sugar.
Linda says
Plan on trying this brine today on pork chops. I must use Splenda instead of sugar for special diet reasons. It will be interesting to see the results. I’ll post later
Paul says
This is my first time to brine anything and it turned out great. This is a keeper. Finally a recipe that make the pork chops juicy and not dried out and tough. I had to cook the more than the recipe suggest but they turned out fantastic. Thanks for the pro tips.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Paul,
Glad to hear that you liked the brined pork chops. Thanks for letting us know!
Lisa C says
These turned out so well – some of the best pork chops I have ever made. I made the rub without salt since it had already been brained, and they were perfect for us. My whole family decided this recipe is a keeper.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for taking the time to share your comment. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
baltisraul says
The removal temp at 135 degrees was spot on. I took a cooking class once and the subject was pork. The teaching chef said ‘if you look at you pork chops and they look perfect to you, you have probably left them on to long. Now with instant reads, it takes the guess work out of the equation. Just change my mind. It will be grilled chops on the 4th now. Thanks.
Lynne Webb says
Thanks for your comment. I agree with the chef about the chops – you have to remember that residual heat!
Lynne Webb says
So happy that you liked them Lillian! The brine is easy and always produces great results.
Elisabeth Bedgood says
I left them in the brine overnight and they were the best darn chops I have ever had!! I used a Tupperware container instead of a plastic bag but it was awesome, they were so juicy and some wonderful thick pork chops we got at our local farmer’s market but these are the recipe we used for the chops we bought and this recipe really did them justice!!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Elisabeth,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad to hear the brine worked out on your pork chops. It’s pretty versatile too. We’ve used it for grilled pork tenderloin, turkey tenderloins and boneless chicken breasts too (shorter brining time on the boneless meats though).
Elisabeth Bedgood says
I left them in the brine overnight and they were the best darn chops I have ever had!! I used a Tupperware container instead of a plastic bag but it was awesome, they were so juicy and some wonderful thick pork chops we got at our local farmer’s market but these are the recipe we used for the chops we bought and this recipe really did them justice!!
Elisabeth Bedgood says
I left them in the brine overnight and they were the best darn chops I have ever had!! I used a Tupperware container instead of a plastic bag but it was awesome, they were so juicy and some wonderful thick pork chops we got at our local farmer’s market but these are the recipe we used for the chops we bought and this recipe really did them justice!!
Beth says
Never used BRINE until I tried your recipe. I really feel it helps as our lean pork can also be dry when grilled. I followed the recipe and was very pleased. Thank you !
Beth says
Never used BRINE until I tried your recipe. I really feel it helps as our lean pork can also be dry when grilled. I followed the recipe and was very pleased. Thank you !
Beth says
Never used BRINE until I tried your recipe. I really feel it helps as our lean pork can also be dry when grilled. I followed the recipe and was very pleased. Thank you !
Lynne Webb says
Hi Beth,
Brining really does help to keep grilled pork and chicken moist and tender. I try to keep some on hand in the fridge during grilling season.
Susan Kempthorne says
Don’t have access to a grill…could broil? Or grill pan?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Susan,
Yes, you can certainly make these in the broiler or grill pan. If you decide to broil, get chops that are on the thicker side and broil them on a rack set over a pan with about 1/4-inch of water in it. Place the oven rack about 5 inches below the broiler too – those steps should help prevent smoking. As far as time is concerned, you may need to cook a little longer than the recipe calls for. It all depends on your broiler. Hope this helps.
Deidre Gross says
This was a super recipe. I used an Applewood Rub instead of the smokey bbq rub. I followed the rest of the recipe with that one exception. The meat was tender with a little kick. I cooked fresh kale and amish macaroni salad. Dinner was great. Enjoy!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Deidre,
The applewood rub sounds great – so glad you enjoyed the chops!