These grilled pork chops are soaked in a flavorful marinade, then cooked to golden brown perfection. A quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for any BBQ or summer gathering!
In my opinion, pork chops are an underrated cut of meat. They’re inexpensive, juicy and packed full of flavor. Some of my favorite pork chop recipes include mushroom pork chops, brown sugar pork chops, and these simple yet satisfying grilled pork chops.
I do a lot of grilling when the weather warms up, and I have to say, one of my favorite things to cook is these grilled pork chops. They’re packed full of flavor and pair perfectly with a variety of side dishes. These pork chops can also be broiled or pan seared in cold weather months.
As long as you are grilling, you might as well cook up some delicious side dishes like grilled mushrooms, grilled vegetables and grilled potatoes in foil. You can also serve a cool carrot salad or dill potato salad to counterbalance the pork. Add that smoky goodness to your whole meal with these easy recipes!
Table of Contents
Grilled Pork Chop Ingredients
To make these pork chops you will need pork chops, olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley leaves, thyme leaves, garlic, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Grilled Pork Chops?
To grill pork chops, first make a marinade by whisking together olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Place your pork chops in the bowl and let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Preheat a grill to medium heat. Place the pork on the grill and listen for that satisfying sizzle. Grill the chops until golden brown and cooked through. Add a sprinkle of parsley and you’ll be ready to eat!
Tips For The Perfect Grilled Pork Chops
- You can use bone in or boneless pork chops. I prefer bone-in pork chops as they’re less likely to dry out on the grill.
- You can make the marinade up to 3 days in advance. Store the marinade in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- This marinade contains sugar which adds great flavor, but can burn on the grill. Make sure your grill is not too hot before you add your meat!
- You can use a charcoal grill, gas grill or indoor grill pan for this recipe.
- Heat the grill before placing the pork on it so that the grate leaves nice grill marks on both sides of the pork chops.
- The best way to gauge whether your pork is done is to use a meat thermometer. You can use an instant read thermometer or a probe thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat for the most accurate reading. Make sure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone.
Quick Tip
Use a meat thermometer to make sure your pork cooks to 145 degrees F for juicy, tender chops. Be careful not to overcook your meat!
Recipe FAQs
Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. This temperature will make sure the meat is safe to eat while keeping the pork moist and tender so it will not dry out.
Marinate pork chops for at least an hour before putting them on the grill. If you have time, marinate the pork chops for up to 8 hours for the best results.
Pork chops should cook about 6-8 minutes on each side. The meat should reach 145 degrees F in the thickest part.
Pork chop leftovers will stay good in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to three days.
The secret to tender pork chops is using bone-in pork chops and cooking the meat to 145 degrees F. If you cook your meat to a higher temperature it can get tough and dry. Also, when you take the meat off the grill, let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices stay in the meat.
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Grilled Pork Chop Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize it to your tastes.
- Spicy: You can add crushed red pepper flakes to this marinade. I typically add 1/4 teaspoon, but you can add more than that if you like.
- Asian: Try a blend of olive oil, toasted sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic for the marinade.
- Mexican: You can marinate the chops in a blend of olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and onion powder. Another great option is to stir in a tablespoon of taco seasoning. Add a sprinkle of cilantro before serving for maximum flavor.
- Flavorings: You can make a sweeter pork chop by adding a tablespoon of honey to the marinade. You can make a more savory chop by adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the marinade. Try adding some Jamaican jerk seasoning for an extra kick of flavor.
I make these pork chops year round, they’re just that good. I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine does!
More Great Pork Recipes
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
1 hr 40 mins
Stuffed Pork Chops
30 mins
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
50 mins
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
4 hrs 10 mins
Brown Sugar Pork Chops
35 mins
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Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops bone in, or boneless
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons parsley leaves chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Place the pork chops in a bowl or resealable gallon sized bag.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic.
- Pour the marinade over the meat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium heat.
- Place the pork on the grill. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 145 degrees F.
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then serve. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can use bone in or boneless pork chops. I prefer bone-in pork chops as they’re less likely to dry out on the grill.
- This marinade contains sugar which adds great flavor, but can burn on the grill. Make sure your grill is not too hot before you add your meat!
- Heat the grill before placing the pork on it so that the grate leaves nice grill marks on both sides of the pork chops.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure your pork cooks to 145 degrees F for juicy, tender chops.
If you don’t eat pork, is there another type of meat that would work great with this marinade?
It would work with chicken breasts or thighs!
Absolutely delicious! I add lemon juice to mine and make this every other week! Definitely our go-to recipe when we’re craving pork. I do have a question though: why is it recommended not to marinate for more than 12 hours? I’ve marinated it for over 24 hours before and it still tasted great!
Sometimes a marinade can change the texture of the meat if it’s used for too long, but in this case it really depends on the size of the pork chops since they can vary so much!
Pretty damn good pork chop recipe. Made the marinade and on a spur, added a little agave and some Flat Iron Dark & Smoky flakes. Ended up letting it sit till morning and we had a grilled pork chop brunch. Paired with Pineapple Mango chili salsa. This is a keeper recipe for sure. Put a good sear on the chops and then moved slightly from the direct heat. We were talking about some tender chops all. Thanks for the recipe share.
Made these tonight and they were perfection! We hadn’t perfect pork on the grill yet, but now we feel confident we could do that for a group with no issues. I added a little smoked spanish paprika to the marinade for that little something extra. Make this now!
I’ve been outdoor grilling for decades, rain or shine 😉 always trying new recipes, this was the absolute best pork chop marinade EVER! It is absolutely delicious, I let them sit in marinade overnight, it really is a wonderful combination of flavors, thanks for sharing.
What type of bone in chops do you recommend? How thick ?
I typically use 1 inch thick chops!
Made this recipe and since I did top request from my wife and
Hungry friends!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it twice, now. My husband that has always hated pork chops now loves them! Thank you for the excellent recipe! So flavorful and moist!
Easy and delicious!
I have not made pork chops in years since they suddenly always tasted gamey to me. I decided to try this recipe and the whole family loved them! My sons girlfriend who hates pork chops loved it also. She said it tasted like steak. If you are on the fence i would go for it. A great combination of flavors!
My mouth is watering, looking at your pictures! These pork chops are so flavorful & juicy! We make them quite a bit!
These turned out so well. Every bite was juicy and delicious. Thank you for such a great pork chop recipe.
One of the best pork chop recipes I’ve tried! Sooo easy and tender.
Wow!! This is the best recipe I have run across for grilled pork chops. The flavor is phenomenal. Thank you for this recipe. We’ll be grilling pork chops with this recipe again.
Very flavorful. Not too sweet with the brown sugar.
I only marinated 30 mins and it was delicious
Very tasty on a thick cut “Iowa” boneless chop. Will do again- had everything on hand (used lemon juice from a bottle instead of zest). Nice flavors going on.
Can you marinate longer than 8 hours?
Yes but I wouldn’t do more than 12!