Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops are meaty loin chops flavored with brine to infuse the meat with moisture before they’re grilled to caramelized perfection. Up your grilling game with this hearty cut and relax, knowing the brine will leave you with the juiciest chops you’ve ever eaten.
What Are Thick-Cut Pork Chops?
Thick-cut pork chops are a subprimal cut, which comes from the loin of a pig. The loin is found in the middle section of the back, and pork chops are the most popular cut of meat that comes from it. Its thick-cut label means it’s between 1 1/2-2 inches thick, half the thickness of regular-cut pork chops. Simply put, pork chops are the pork equivalent of steaks from beef.
A wider cut means that thick-cut pork chops require a longer cooking time, often resulting in dried-out meat. Brines are a great way to keep your meat from drying out while simultaneously adding flavor. This recipe includes an easy-to-make, aromatic brine. Brines infuse the thick-cut pork chops with tons of flavor, which prevents them from drying out during grilling.
What Do I Need To Make Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops?
To make grilled thick-cut pork chops, you need 1 1/2-2 inch thick pork chops, water, fresh lemon, fresh limes, white onion, garlic, kosher salt, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, and a bay leaf.
You need a stockpot, a wide, shallow dish, and a gas grill (or a charcoal grill).
Can I Use A Different Cut Of Pork For This Recipe?
Ask the butcher for a 1 1/2-2 inch thick pork chop. I usually ask for a porterhouse or ribeye pork chop because I prefer them, but center-cut, also called New York pork chops, work great in this recipe.
You can use a thinner pork chop (3/4 to 1-inch) for this recipe, but you must decrease the grilling time by half. You can also use boneless chops for this recipe and decrease the cooking time.
How Do I Ensure My Thick-Cut Pork Chops Are Juicy?
Brine is the best way to prevent pork chops from drying out on the grill and ensuring a juicy pork chop. Brines are a sodium-packed liquid that alters a protein’s cell structure, allowing it to absorb the water extracted by leached out by the salt. The cells are now filled with more moisture as well as flavor. It’s a simple way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. Brining works especially well when you’re grilling thicker cuts of meat.
Add the water, onion, garlic, kosher salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, chili pepper flakes, and bay leaf to a large stockpot. Squeeze the lemon and limes and drop the peels into the pot. Bring the liquid in the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir the liquid frequently to dissolve the salt and sugar in the pot. Cook the liquid for 1 minute after it comes to a boil.
How Long Do The Pork Chops Have To Brine?
Remove the pot from the stove after the liquid boils for a minute. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature. You can speed the cooling process by submerging the pot in ice water. Cooling the brine down before proceeding is important because you don’t want to brine your meat in hot or warm liquids. Adding meat to a hot or warm brine begins the cooking process, which makes the meat vulnerable to contamination. Instead, allow the brine to cool completely before starting the recipe.
Add ice to the brine once it has cooled to room temperature. Stir the ice in the brine to chill it, then carefully pour the brine into a wide dish. I use a deep casserole dish for this. Nestle the pork chops into the bring in a single layer. Cover the baking dish with plastic film and refrigerate the meat for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 12 hours.
After 12 hours, the meat can no longer absorb the brine. The longer you brine meat, the mushier it becomes, so you don’t want to overdo it.
Can I Freeze The Pork Chops After Brining Them?
Remove the pork from the brine after 2 hours and an hour before grilling them. Remove lingering peppercorns or seeds from the pork chops and dry the meat well. I usually lay the pork chops on paper towels and pat them. Drying the pork chops after removing them from the brine is important to ensure they caramelize on the grill instead of steam. Allowing the pork chops to come near room temperature is also important since cold meat takes longer to cook.
You can also freeze the pork chops after removing them from the brine. Pat them well so they don’t leak water into their container. After drying them, put the meat into a freezer-safe storage container and freeze the pork chops for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen pork chops in the fridge overnight, then give them another pat to dry before grilling.
How Long Do I Grill The Meat?
Heat a gas grill to 425°F (220°C) and oil the grates to keep the pork chops from sticking. Since you can’t turn down the heat on a charcoal grill, set it up on one side for searing the meat. Once the initial searing is done, you will move the pork chops to the side with no charcoal for indirect heat grilling.
On a gas grill:
- Sear the pork chops for 4 minutes on the first side.
- Use a pair of tongs to flip the chops over and sear them for another 4 minutes.
- Decrease the temperature of the grill to 350°F (180°C) and cook them for another 12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F (60°C) when inserted into a chop.
On a charcoal grill: sear the meat over the coals for 4 minutes on both sides. Move the pork chops to the side of the grill without the coals and continue grilling the chops for 12 minutes.
Flip the pork chops over after 6 minutes for both grills to keep one side from getting too dark. Avoid using a grill fork to flip the chops. Puncturing the meat with a fork allows the juices to flow out and dries out the pork chops.
How Can I Add More Flavor To These Grilled Pork Chops?
You don’t have to add more seasoning to these pork chops since the brine did all the heavy lifting. I love brushing Blueberry Balsamic BBQ Sauce, Whiskey BBQ Sauce, or the Guava Sauce from these party meatballs on mine during those last 12 minutes of grilling. Each of these sauces gives the pork chops added flavor, and they’re simple enough to whip up.
Once the pork chops reach a safe internal temperature, remove them from the grill to a sheet pan. Tent a piece of foil over the pan and allow the chops to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Can I Bake Them?
You can bake pork chops if you don’t have a grill:
- Preheat an oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil or cooking spray.
- Arrange the room temperature, dry pork chops on the sheet pan in a single layer with space around each chop.
- Bake the pork chops for 21-24 minutes, flipping them over halfway through baking time, or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F (60°C).
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Why Do I Have To Rest Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops?
When meat is cooked, the juices flow towards the center of its mass. Resting meat gives the juices in the meat time to settle and redistribute instead of flowing out of the meat when it’s cut. Allowing your pork chops to rest for 10-15 minutes produces a juicier chop.
How Do I Serve Them?
Serve grilled thick-cut pork chops with cold, crunchy sides like slaws or salads and mild-flavored grains like rice, couscous, or quinoa.
The flavor of these pork chops is versatile enough to stand alone but is complemented by crunchy, pungent dishes.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover grilled pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. To reheat grilled pork chops, place them in a shallow dish with a small amount of water or beer and warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8-10 minutes. You can also do this in a skillet over medium heat.
To freeze grilled pork chops, allow them to cool, then place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2 months. Thaw grilled chops in the fridge, then reheat them until warmed.
Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops are a juicy, flavorful, and delicious option for dinner or lunch. The aromatic brine ensures your pork chops will retain moisture, and the smoky flavor imparted by the grill makes these a great summer meal idea. Be sure to pin this recipe to your grilling board for easy finding. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments section!
Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- stockpot
- gas or charcoal grill
- meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 3 cups (750 milliliters) water
- 1/2 cup (145 grams) kosher salt
- 1/3 cup, packed (65 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 large yellow onion cut in half
- 1 head garlic cut in half across its width
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) crushed red pepper optional
- 1 large lemon halved
- 2 medium limes halved
- 4 cups ice
For Grilling the Pork Chops
- 2 1/2 pounds (4 each or 1.1 kilograms) thick-cut pork chops
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Brine
- Add the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, yellow onion, garlic, black peppercorns, chili pepper flakes, and bay leaf to a large stockpot. Squeeze the lemon and limes and drop the peels into the pot.
- Bring the liquid in the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring the liquid frequently to dissolve the salt and sugar in the pot. Cook the liquid for 1 minute after it comes to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the stove after the liquid boils for a minute. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature. Add ice to the brine once it has cooled to room temperature. Stir the ice in the brine to chill it, then carefully pour the brine into a wide dish. I use a deep casserole dish for this.
Brine the Pork Chops For At Least 2 Hours, But No More Than 12 Hours
- Nestle the pork chops into the bring in a single layer. Cover the baking dish with plastic film and refrigerate the meat for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 12 hours.
Remove the Pork Chops From the Brine and Preheat the Grill
- Remove the pork from the brine after 2 hours and an hour before grilling them. Pick lingering peppercorns or seeds from the pork chops and dry the meat well. I usually lay the pork chops on paper towels and pat them dry.
- Heat a gas grill to 425°F (220°C) and oil the grates to keep the pork chops from sticking. Since you can't turn down the heat on a charcoal grill, pile charcoals on one side for searing the meat and leave the other side empty.
Grill the Pork Chops
- On a gas grill: Sear the pork chops for 4 minutes on the first side. Use a pair of tongs to flip the chops over and sear them for another 4 minutes.Decrease the temperature of the grill to 350°F (180°C) and cook them for another 12 minutes- flip the pork chops over after 6 minutes to keep one side from getting too dark- or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F (60°C) when inserted into a chop. Brush any sauces or glazes on the pork chops during the final 12 minutes of grilling.
- On a charcoal grill: sear the meat over the coals for 4 minutes on both sides. Move the pork chops to the side of the grill without the coals and continue grilling the chops for 12 minutes- flip the pork chops over after 6 minutes to keep one side from getting too dark- or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F (60°C).Brush any sauces or glazes on the pork chops during the final 12 minutes of grilling.
Rest the Pork Chops Before Enjoying
- Once the pork chops reach a safe internal temperature, remove them from the grill to a sheet pan. Tent a piece of foil over the pan and allow the chops to rest for at least 10 minutes. Season the pork chops to taste with additional kosher salt and black pepper.
- The flavor of these pork chops is versatile enough to enjoy alone but is complemented by crunchy, pungent dishes.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- A porterhouse or ribeye pork chop are preferred, but center-cut, or New York pork chops, work well, too.
- You can use a thinner pork chop (3/4 to 1-inch) for this recipe, but you must decrease the lower-heat grilling time to 6 minutes (sear the meat for 4 minutes on each side as instructed).
- To use boneless chops for this recipe, decrease the lower-heat cooking time to 6 minutes.
- Brush Blueberry Balsamic BBQ Sauce, Whiskey BBQ Sauce, or the Guava Sauce from these party meatballs on the pork chops during those last 12 minutes of grilling.
Baked Thick-Cut Pork Chops:
- Preheat an oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil or cooking spray.
- Arrange the room temperature, dry pork chops on the sheet pan in a single layer with space around each chop.
- Bake the pork chops for 21-24 minutes, flipping them over halfway through baking time, or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F (60°C).
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Tips and Techniques:
- Thick-cut pork chops are labeled that way in the meat section.
- You can speed the cooling process by submerging the pot in ice water and stirring the brine frequently.
- After 12 hours, the meat can no longer absorb the brine. The longer you brine meat, the mushier it becomes, so you don't want to overdo it.
- Drying the pork chops after removing them from the brine is important to ensure they caramelize on the grill instead of steam.
- Allowing the pork chops to come near room temperature is important since cold meat takes longer to cook.
- Avoid using a grill fork to flip the chops. Puncturing the meat with a fork allows the juices to flow out and dries out the pork chops.
- Allowing your pork chops to rest for 10-15 minutes produces a juicier chop.
- Serve grilled thick-cut pork chops with cold, crunchy sides like slaws or salads and mild-flavored grains like rice, couscous, or quinoa.
Storage Instructions:
- Store leftover grilled pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- To reheat grilled pork chops: place them in a shallow dish with a small amount of water or beer and warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8-10 minutes. You can also do this in a skillet over medium heat.
Freezing Instructions:
- To freeze pork chops after brining:
- Pat them well so they don't leak water into their container.
- Put the meat into a freezer-safe storage container and freeze the pork chops for up to 6 months.
- Thaw frozen pork chops in the fridge overnight, then give them another pat to dry before grilling.
- To freeze grilled pork chops:
- Allow them to cool, then place them in a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze the pork chops for 2 months.
- Thaw grilled chops in the fridge, then reheat them until warmed.
It’s hard to find a good grilled thick cut pork chop recipe and this one was perfect! My chops came out so juicy and flavorful, already planning to make them again next week!
Happy to hear it worked for you, Jessica!
This grilled thick but pork chop recipe has me obsessed with brining before cooking! This dish was juicy, flavorful and cooked perfectly! I’ll be picking up pork chops this week to make it again!
I love that, Geo!
I had already made your blueberry BBQ sauce and loved it on chicken but the sauce goes together with these pork chops perfectly! Did you do that on purpose? We don’t eat pork chops often in my family but I’ve already been asked to make them again!
I DID do it on purpose, Jazz!