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Pork is leaner than ever these days, which makes it more likely to dry out on the grill. Thankfully, that’s easy to avoid with this simple brined pork chop recipe. The brine comes together in minutes with pantry staples and works its magic on the meat in just 1 hour. It really is a game-changer for grilled pork chops.
Right before grilling, we rub each chop with a homemade, sweet and smoky seasoning blend to add some classic BBQ flavor to our pork. It’s an optional step though and you can get creative with different flavor profiles (think Tex Mex with cumin and chili powder, or Italian with extra garlic and oregano). You can also keep it simple with a brush of olive oil and a sprinkling of black pepper.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.

PORK CHOPS: For grilling, we always look for bone-in pork chops. The bone acts as insulation, helping the meat cook more evenly and stay moist. Here are the two cuts we recommend:
- RIB CHOPS: These are our top pick for grilled pork chops. Look for 3/4 to 1-inch thick chops with nice marbling. Resist the urge to trim the fat as it adds flavor and keeps the meat juicy.
- CENTER-CUT LOIN CHOPS: Center-cut loin chops are the next best choice. They’re somewhat leaner, but still tender and tasty when brined.
BRINE: Here’s the ingredient ratio for making the brine. You’ll want to make 1 cup of brine per pork chop.
Kosher salt: 1 tablespoon per 1 cup of water
Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of water
Garlic (optional): 1/2 clove per 1 cup of water
BBQ SEASONING: We use our homemade BBQ spice rub with brown sugar and spices to add flavor to our pork chops. If you’re short on time, just rub the chops with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Overview
How to Make Juicy Grilled, Brined Pork Chops
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Make a quick brine with water, salt, and sugar. Heat half the water to dissolve everything, then cool it down with the remaining water. Add a crushed whole clove of garlic if you want – it’s optional.
Let the pork chops soak in this mixture for at least 1 hour, up to 2, in the fridge. This is an easy step that pays off in tender, juicy chops.

Remove the chops from the brine, pat them dry (no need to rinse), and season with homemade BBQ rub, or coat them with olive oil, pepper, and a light pinch of salt (go easy since the brine adds salt already).


Preheat the grill to medium-high, oil the grates, add the chops and grill for 5 to 6 minutes total. Check their internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer and pull them off the grill when they reach 135 to 140°F (for medium). Don’t overcook!


Let the chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. Resting helps the juices redistribute so every bite is as juicy and tender.
More Ways to Use This Easy Brine
This simple brine is fantastic for grilling chicken and other lean proteins that benefit from a moisture boost. During grilling season, we make up a few quarts (sans garlic) and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
We use it to make perfectly grilled boneless chicken breasts and for our Grilled Turkey Tenderloin Salad, a light, fresh main dish salad with garlic croutons and a creamy avocado dressing.

Juicy Brined and Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1-inch thick – see notes
- 2-1/2 to 3 tablespoons BBQ Spice Rub, see notes for substitutions
For the brine:
- 4 cups water, divided
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt, (1/4 cup)
- 8 tablespoons granulated sugar, (1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic (optional), peeled and lightly crushed
Instructions
Brine the pork chops:
- Make the brine by combining 2 cups of water with the salt and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water along with the garlic (if using) and refrigerate to cool at least to room temperature. If you can, make the brine ahead of time and chill it.
- Arrange the pork chops in a container large enough to fit them in a single layer without too much extra space, and pour the brine over the top. Move the chops around a little to ensure the brine touches all surfaces.
- You can also brine your chops in a zip-top freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, and seal it tightly.
- Refrigerate the chops for at least 1 hour (up to 2 hours), turning them once midway through the brining time.
- As the end of the brining time approaches, preheat your gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F).
Season the pork chops:
- Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry on both sides with paper towels. Discard the brine.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of BBQ Spice Rub on each side of the chops and rub it into the meat with your fingertips or the back of a spoon (see recipe notes for substitutions).
Grill the chops:
- Using tongs and a paper towel dipped in cooking oil, carefully oil the grill grates and add your pork chops.
- Grill them for 4 minutes on the first side, turn them, and continue grilling for 2 minutes longer.
- Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer and remove the chops from the grill when they reach 135 to 140°F (for medium). Don't overcook!
- Transfer the chops to a platter, tent with foil, and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I never was a huge fan of grilled chops, until I made this recipe. I haven’t made a chop any other way since discovering this over a year ago. Now I get excited when we are having chops! I have made these for company. I have made them, wrapped them in foil, and delivered to families in need of meal assistance. The reviews are always fantastic. Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe. Readers – make sure to use the hyper linked rub recipe.
Hi Robin,
We’re so glad to hear that these pork chops have become such a favorite for you (glad you like the rub too). We really appreciate the nice review and the time you took out of your day to leave it. It’s such a good feeling when one of our recipes becomes a regular go-to for one of our readers.
Never had luck with chops on the grill. This is a first for brining pork chops and they were great. Very tender and juicy, the rub has a wonderful flavor. Will definitely make these again .
Hi Sue,
I’m glad to hear you had good luck with the grilled chops. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
I am actually doing this recipe right now. Looking forward to having this for dinner tonight. I will let you know the outcome..
Question?
I have a convection oven / standard oven. I will be having a big get together next weekend. If I were to cook the pork-chops in an oven, Would it be okay to use this brining recipe for the chops? What oven temperature would you recommend so my chops don’t dry out?
Hi Danny,
I certainly hope the grilled pork chops are a success. To answer your question, the brining recipe will work for just about any cooking method and I understand why you wouldn’t really want to be manning a grill for a large group. Here are my thoughts about reproducing this recipe using the oven.
First, if you can shut off the convection feature on your oven, I would go ahead and do that because the circulating fan, while great for roasting veggies and potatoes, can sometimes be drying for meats. Regarding temperature, I would replicate the grill temp and preheat the oven to 400°F and brush your baking sheet with a little bit of neutral oil. The chops only take about 6 minutes on the grill, but you’ll definitely need to add time for oven roasting. I would roast the chops for 5 minutes, take them out, turn them over, rotate the pan and put them back in for another 3 to 4 minutes before testing for temperature (135 to 140°F). Timing will depend on the thickness of your pork chops, but even if you went a little over on the cooking, I don’t think they’ll be dry given the brine. They’ll still need to rest for 5 minutes before serving too.
I generally avoid grilling anything but steaks because I don’t like how dry everything comes out. These pork chops have changed my mind – the brining really makes a difference, and they turned out delicious!
Hi Lexie,
I’m happy to hear the brining worked out well for you. Thanks for taking time out of your day to let us know.