Grilled Pork Chops

Pork Chop recipe on grill is a family favorite when people get outside when the weather is nice. This grilled pork chop recipe is a great step by step instruction on how to achieve juicy flavorful pork chops.

Looking to grill some juicy bone in pork chops? Read on for the ultimate guide for Pork Chop Recipe on Grill! We grilled and ate a lot of pork chops to put this together so you can get it right the first time you grill pork chops!

4 Grilled Pork Chops

What type of pork chop is best to grill?

First important thing to look for when grilling a pork chop is looking at what type of pork chop to grill. It’s important to decide if bone in or boneless is best for grilling. Although, boneless chops are better for some cooking techniques, bone in pork chops are the best for the grill. Boneless pork chops can be tasty, but not when grilling. You want the pork chop to have a bone which helps with flavor as well as to keep the chop moist.

You then want to look at the thickness of the pork chop. I like a medium size thickness for grilling pork chops. About an inch thick is perfect. If you go too small with a thin cut chop, you will either over cook it or not keep it on the grill long enough for some sear marks on the chop which add to the flavor. If you go to thick the you will over cook the outer portion of the chop while trying to bring the center up to proper temp. This will lead to a dry pork chop.

What cut of pork chop is best for grilling?

Now that you have narrowed down the thickness and bone in vs boneless pork chop it’s time to discuss the cut. There a many different cuts of pork chops depending on where on the pig they were cut. However, there are three different cuts you should look for when grilling pork chops.

The first is the center cut chop. It looks like a t bone steak. You’ll notice the bone separating the tenderloin on one side of the chop while the loin is on the other side. It’s a great cut of pork for the grill since it has a large bone to help  keep the meat moist. Be careful when grilling this cut though since you have two different cuts separated by the bone. This may cause different cooking times to bring up to temp.

The next cut of pork chop you might choose for the grill is the rib chop. Take a look at the curved bone on the chop. Look familiar? Yep, those are baby back ribs. Rib chops often come with a ring of fat around the loin section which you don’t see in the center cut chop.

The last chop you might see is the loin chop. It typically is not as fatty as the rib chop because it doesn’t have that outside ring of fatty meat. The loin medallion is often a little bigger compared to the rib chop. It’s a very tender cut that grills quickly.

The last thing to consider is where you purchase your pork chop.  Nothing wrong with going to a chain supermarket, but there are some other options as well. If you can go to a local butcher or farm that offers pork that would be your best bet. Those two options often times give you the best flavorful pork chop because of the quality of the meat at a farm.

Should you marinate pork chops?

People will often marinade pork chops before they are grilled to help keep them juicy. I don’t think it’s necessary. If grilled properly you can keep the pork chops nice and juicy without the marinade. Marinades for pork chops can sometimes mask the flavor of the meat. If you want a juicy pork chop focus more on quality of the pork and grilling technique. A quality chop only needs salt, pepper, and light seasoning to enhance the flavor.

Pork Chop Recipe on Grill by Sear Marks

Do you season pork chops before you put them on the grill?

Yes, I keep the seasoning very simple. Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and onion powder on both sides of the chops is all you need for a great tasting grilled pork chop. You don’t need a heavy amount of salt though since pork chops aren’t too thick.

Don’t take the chops out of the refrigerator and immediately season and slap on the grill. You want to give yourself the best chance of not over cooking. Let the chops come up to room temp before seasoning and grilling. A cold pork chop will take longer to bring the center up to temperature causing the ends of the chop to dry out.

Do not season the pork chop as soon as you take out of the refrigerator. You don’t want the salt to pull out moisture from the chop. Season right before they hit the grill.

Grilled Pork Chop with Sear Marks

How to grill pork chops?

• Bring your gas grill up to 500 degrees. Make sure you have a nice clean grill and grill grates. You be grilling at high temps so a dirty grill will really start to flare up. Flare ups equal burnt chops.
• Place the seasoned pork chops over direct heat and then put down the lid of the grill. After grilling for three minutes rotate the pork chops 90 degrees and grill for another three minutes. After a total time of 6 minutes flip the pork chops. It’s a fine line between nice juicy pork chops and a hard over cooked mess. With pork chops it’s very important to stay at the grill and watch the pork chops.
• Once you flip the pork chops bring down the temp to 375 degrees and finish them for another 6 minutes. Make sure you bring the grilled pork chop temp up to 145 degrees. Put your thermometer close to the bone of the chop when you check the temp. Once it hits the necessary temp take off the heat. They will continue to rise in temp after you take the pork chops off the grill.
• Let them sit for 5 minutes before serving. As you can see, great pork chops are all about simplicity and technique not a heavy sauce or marinade to mask flavor.  You’ll receive plenty of compliments for these juicy bone in pork chops if you follow this grilled pork chop recipe.

Two Center Cut Pork Chops with Sear Marks on the grill

If you enjoyed this grilled pork chop recipe guide then check these other pork grilling recipes from Sear Marks!

Tomahawk Pork Chop with mashed cauliflower

Pork Spareribs with Cranberry Pepper BBQ Sauce

Print Recipe

Table of Contents

Toggle

Pork Chop Recipe on Grill

By sear marks – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Grilled Pork chops are at their best served juicy and moist.

Ingredients

• 4 7 ounce pork chops
• Salt
• Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Onion Powder

Instructions

1

Pre heat your gas grill to 500 degrees F

2

Season pork chops with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and onion powder on both sides of chops

3

Place the pork chops over direct heat

4

Rotate each pork chop 30 degrees