It’s simple to grill lean pork chops with the bone in. Pork chops made with these four ingredients will be flavorful and juicy.
Recipe Summary active: 15 mins total: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 4
The thickness of the chops and whether they are bone-in or boneless will determine how long you should grill them. In this recipe, we call for 4 bone-in pork chops. Each should be about 1-inch thick. 1-inch bone-in pork chops should take 4 minutes per side on a preheated high-heat grill. Your pork chops will take longer to cook if they are thicker. Even if your boneless pork chops are cut to an inch in thickness, they might cook more quickly because the bone acts as an insulator and slows the cooking process. The best way to determine whether a pork chop is cooked through is to insert an instant-read thermometer into the chop’s center (away from the bone, if there is one), and remove them from the heat when the chops reach 140 degrees F. Before cutting into them, let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to evenly distribute throughout the meat. The temperature will increase during this period to 145 degrees F, which is the suggested safe internal temperature for pork chops.
What Cut of Pork Chops Are Best for Grilling?
Due to the fact that chops can be made from various parts of the loin, there are many options when purchasing pork chops. The fattiest cut is the blade end, which is located at the front of the loin close to the shoulder. Rib chops have a larger, smoother section of meat and are leaner. Tenderloin and loin are both present in bone-in center-cut chops, and the sirloin, which comes from the back and has a lot of muscles, is as well.
I prefer rib or center-cut chops for grilling because they are tender and don’t have a lot of chewy muscles. Although I prefer bone-in because I enjoy nibbling on the meat that is attached to the bones, boneless will also work. Thinner pork chops tend to cook too quickly before they have a chance to form a nice crust on the outside, so I always make sure to purchase pork chops that are at least an inch thick.
How Long Does It Take To Grill 1/2-inch Pork Chops?
On the grill, pork chops with a thickness of 1/2 inch and either bone in or without can be cooked for 4 to 6 minutes. Do your best to sear the meat quickly for great flavor and finish on a cooler area of the grill so that they do not dry out because it is very lean meat and cooks quickly. (Also check out our brine recipe below. ).