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Marinated to perfection before cooking, these grilled pork chops are begging to be added to your summer menu.
If there’s one thing that the world has tried to tell us, it’s that grilling is for Dads and Dads only. But I am here to tell you that anyone can grill up a fantastic dinner.
So if you’ve been intimidated by firing up the grill before, set aside your nerves and give it a try! You can even dip your toe into the grilling waters by trying out a grill pan indoors before you head to the backyard with a gas or charcoal grill.
After all, wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate Dad this Father’s Day by making him a delicious dinner on the grill? These grilled pork chops are a great starting point – they’re super flavorful, juicy, and easy to make!
Marinated grilled pork chops
If you grew up eating sad, dry pork chops, I’m here to change how you feel about this particular cut of meat.
I’ve definitely had my share of overcooked, bland pork chops. But these marinated and grilled pork chops are the exact opposite of that.
These chops are marinated in a recipe similar to my grilled chicken marinade, then grilled until they are charred and flavorful on the outside but still juicy on the inside.
I love to make this recipe with thick-cut, bone-in pork chops. Sure, they’re a little bit more indulgent, but they are also impressive to serve and add a little something special to a pretty easy meal.
You can also use this marinade to make thinner grilled pork chops – we’ll talk about how to do that in a bit.
How to grill pork chops
If you don’t feel like a grill master, don’t worry. I used to be intimidated by my grill, too, but grilling a delicious dinner is so much easier than you might think!
Marinade ingredients
Before we throw our pork chops on the grill, we are going to marinade them in a savory, slightly tangy mixture.
For this pork chop marinade, we will use:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Dash of your favorite hot sauce
- Salt/pepper to taste
I recommend using reduced-sodium soy sauce in most recipes, including this one, since it lets you better control the salt content.
If you want a spicier marinade, feel free to up the amount of hot sauce. A dash or two just adds flavor to the marinade but won’t make it spicy, especially if you use something like Frank’s RedHot or classic Cholula.
Make sure to taste the marinade BEFORE adding the pork chops so you can add additional salt and pepper if needed. Remember, if your marinade is bland, your grilled pork chops will also be bland!
This makes enough marinade for 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops. If you want to use thinner pork chops, you will be able to fit more of them in the marinade.
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Whisk all of the ingredients for the marinade together. Taste, adding salt and pepper as desired, then pour the marinade over the pork chops in a zip-top bag. Make sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible.
If you want the marinade to do even more work, poke the pork chops on both sides with a fork before placing them in the marinade.
Set the bag in a container (just in case it leaks) and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, but the longer the better. You could marinate the pork chops in the morning and let them rest in the fridge while you’re at work.
When you’re ready to cook, bring your grill to medium-high heat and take the pork chops out of the marinade.
If you’d like, reserve some of the marinade for basting during cooking.
Place the pork chops on the grill and cook until the thickest part of the chops reads 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. If you choose to baste them with the marinade, make sure you add it while there is plenty of time for the basted marinade to cook thoroughly.
Remove the pork chops from the grill and let them rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Grilling times and tips
How long your pork chops take to cook will depend on the thickness of the chops you use and your particular grill.
Before you start cooking, make sure you let your grill preheat thoroughly. If you’re using a charcoal grill, make sure you plan for plenty of time for your coals to heat all the way through.
Once you place your pork chops on the grill, try not to move them again until it’s time to flip. Not only does this create those pretty grill marks, but it also helps keep the meat from sticking to the grates.
Thick pork chops will typically need 6-8 minutes per side to cook through. Thinner chops will need much less time – usually closer to 4 minutes per side.
No matter what kind of pork chops you are using, make sure you cook the meat to 145°F, measured with an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the chops.
Serving suggestions
Grilled pork chops make for the perfect summer meal!
Serve them alongside strawberry spinach salad, cucumber salad, german potato salad, or grilled potato salad. They’d also be delicious with air fryer green beans, baked sweet potatoes, or instant pot corn on the cob.
This is also the perfect meal to serve alongside a batch of Kentucky mules or homemade strawberry lemonade or watermelon lemonade.
And don’t let the grilling fun end when the entrees are done! Try finishing the meal with grilled pound cake served alongside grilled peaches or grilled pineapple.
Whether you’re making these grilled pork chops for Dad for Father’s Day or serving them at your next backyard cookout, they’re sure to be a recipe you want to repeat all summer long.
Grilled Pork Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- Dash of your favorite hot sauce
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 4 thick bone-in pork chops
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for the pork chops in a bowl and whisk together well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- Pour the marinade over the pork chops in a zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Bring grill to medium-high heat. Remove pork chops from the marinade.
- Cook the chops over medium-high heat until the thickest part of the chops reads 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. This typically takes about 6-8 minutes per side for thick chops, but the exact time will vary based on the thickness of your pork chops and your grill. If desired, baste the chops with some of the marinade during grilling, making sure to let any basted marinade cook thoroughly.
- Let chops rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
