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Why This Recipe Is a Summer Favorite
Today’s pork is mild-flavored and relatively lean, and when exposed to the intense heat of a grill, it can end up being less than spectacular unless you give it a little help before cooking. Fortunately, it only takes two simple steps to prepare your chops for the grill and get great results: brining and seasoning.
Brining pork chops adds flavor and keeps them moist and tender, a tasty pork rub boosts the flavor even more, and the grill’s heat pulls everything together to make a delectable main dish that’s one of our favorite summer meals.
What You’ll Need
All you need to make great grilled pork chops is the right cut of pork, a few ingredients for the brine, and a tasty rub or seasoning blend to add just before grilling. Read on for advice on what kind of chops to buy, what you need for the brine, and tips on boosting flavor with a homemade pork rub you can keep in the pantry and use all summer.
The Best Pork Chops for Grilling
Choosing the right cut of pork is an important first step to making deliciously tender grilled pork chops. We always buy a bone-in cut because the bone protects one side of the chop from the hot grill, helping to keep them moist. Here are the two cuts we recommend:
- Rib Chops: Bone-in rib chops (pictured) are our number one choice for grilling. Choose medium-thick chops (between 3/4 and 1 inch), look for some nice marbling, and resist the urge to trim them, as the rim of fat around the outside of the chop adds extra moisture and flavor.
- Center-Cut Loin Chops: The next best choice is center-cut pork loin chops. This cut of pork chops is tender and flavorful but generally has less marbling than rib chops and therefore may not be quite as juicy.
Pork Chop Brine Ingredients
The basic ingredients for making pork chop brine are water, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. The brine ratio is one (1) tablespoon of kosher salt and two (2) tablespoons of granulated sugar to one (1) cup of water. Plan on preparing one (1) cup of brine per chop. We always add a couple of slightly crushed garlic cloves for added flavor.
Pork Chop Seasoning Rub
A little extra care should be taken when seasoning brined pork chops. Although our brine recipe uses a lower proportion of salt to sugar than some, it does infuse some salt into the meat. Still, we recommend a little extra seasoning. To keep it simple, rub both sides of the chops with olive oil, then season them with freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkling of garlic or onion powder.
We prefer to give our chops a classic barbecue flavor with an easy-to-make homemade rub. Made with brown sugar, spices, and a small amount of salt, it’s perfect for seasoning brined chops and other cuts of pork, including ribs, tenderloin, and pork butt for pulled pork. It’s tasty on chicken, salmon, and shrimp, too.
Brining Pork Chops FAQs
Here are the answers to a few common questions about how to brine pork chops
We recommend a minimum of 1 hour of brining for 3/4 to 1-inch thick pork chops, but they can safely remain in the brine for up to 2 hours. Prepare your brine and let it cool completely. Arrange the chops in a container that will accommodate them in a single layer without too much extra space, pour the brine over them, cover, and refrigerate.
If your pork chops are individually frozen, you can defrost them in the brine in the refrigerator. The minimum time for brining frozen chops is two hours.
There is no need to rinse your pork chops when they are done brining, but you do want to pat them dry. This will ensure that you get a nice sear on the grill and help any seasoning you use on the outside of the chops to adhere.
Every time we make brine during grilling season, we mix up a couple of quarts at once (minus the garlic). We then store it in the refrigerator in glass jars with tight-fitting lids for up to two weeks. In addition to pork chops, we use it for pork tenderloin, boneless chicken breasts, and turkey tenderloins.
Brining Safety Tips
- Never pour warm brine over raw meat: Always let your brining solution cool completely (chilled is even better) before adding the meat.
- Always refrigerate meat while brining: For safety reasons, keeping meat refrigerated during the brining process is important.
- Never reuse pork chop brine: You should never reuse brine or marinade as you could transfer dangerous bacteria to your food.
How to Grill Pork Chops (Step-By-Step)
Here’s a basic overview of how this dish is prepared. For detailed, step-by-step instructions and a complete ingredient list, please refer to the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Brine the Chops
Combine half 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 the remaining cold water along with lightly crushed garlic cloves. Set the brine aside to cool completely, then arrange the chops in a container large enough to fit them in a single layer.
Pour the brine over the top and move the chops around a little to ensure the brine touches all surfaces. Alternatively, you can 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.
Step 2: Season the Pork Chops
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. Season both sides of the chops, if desired, with some of our homemade Pork Chop Rub. Alternatively, you can rub them with olive oil and season them with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Important note: Because of the salt in the brine, be careful how much additional salt you use.
Step 3: Grill the Pork Chops
Oil the grill grates thoroughly and add the 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! Always allow the pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Make It a Meal
For a delicious summer meal that makes the most of seasonal produce, serve these grilled pork chops with homemade coleslaw and a sweet corn and tomato salad. For drinks, choose a light, fruity rosé or refreshing summer shandy. Top it all off with some fresh peach cobbler for dessert.
How to Grill Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1-inch thick – see notes
- 2-1/2 to 3 tablespoons [Pork Chop 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, 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 and refrigerate to cool at least to room temperature. If you have the time, make the brine ahead 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 one (1) teaspoon of Pork Chop 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:
- 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!
- Allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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.
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
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.
Hi Paul,
Glad to hear that you liked the brined pork chops. Thanks for letting us know!
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.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for taking the time to share your comment. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I have boneless butterfly chops can I use this recipe?
Hi Lori,
The recipe should work just fine with your boneless chops as long as the thickness is comparable (about 3/4” to 1″). I think you could reduce the maximum brining time to 90 minutes, and adjust the grilling time from 4 to 3 minutes on the first side. If your chops are thinner, just cut back the times a little more. Hope this helps!
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.
Thanks for your comment. I agree with the chef about the chops – you have to remember that residual heat!
So happy that you liked them Lillian! The brine is easy and always produces great results.
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!!
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).
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 !
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.
Don’t have access to a grill…could broil? Or grill pan?
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.
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!
Hi Deidre,
The applewood rub sounds great – so glad you enjoyed the chops!