Grilled BBQ Pork Chops start with a brine that keeps them juicy, not dried out! A delicious dinner for any day of the week or for your next BBQ. A quick brine helps to keep these bone-in pork chops tender and juicy!
Pair these chops with some Oven Roasted Corn and our famous Classic Potato Salad for a fun summer dinner!
Grilled Barbecue Pork Chops Recipe
Summertime and warm weather hits and we’re ready to start grilling! These Grilled BBQ Pork Chops are on our dinner menu pretty often. Thick cut, bone-in pork chops that turn out juicy and tender, with just a few minutes of prep time.
Even people that don’t typically like pork chops seem to really love pork cooked this way. A flavorful brine and a few minutes on the grill is all you need!
How To Make Pork Chops On The Grill
After the pork chops have soaked in a brine (we’ll get to the brine a little further down in the post) dry them off well and season them on both sides. We used our favorite dry rub recipe, but you can grab any pork seasoning that you like from the store, too.
- Make The Brine: See the recipe card below for the brine ingredients, let the pork chops brine for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Remove the pork chops from the brine and dry with a paper towel.
- Preheat The Grill: Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Make sure to start with a clean grill before adding the pork chops.
- Season The Pork Chops: Since the brine has added all the flavor, simply season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Grill: Place the pork chops on the grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. This will depend on how thick your pork chops are; just make sure that the juices run clear and there’s just a slight pink hue left in the meat. See the post below for cooking temperatures for pork.
- Add BBQ Sauce: After the pork chops cook on the second side, baste the pork with the barbecue sauce. You don’t want to add the barbecue sauce too early because it will burn and stick to the grill.
What Temperature Do I Cook Pork To?
It used to be that you didn’t want to see any pink in pork, but nowadays that’s only true if you’re using ground pork.
A slight pink hue to your pork chops is what we’re looking for. Not overcooking the pork will ensure that you end up with juicy, tender pork chops.
Remove the pork chops from the grill at 145 degrees. Place the chops on a platter, cover with foil and let them rest for at least 5 minutes, 10 preferably.
This will continue the cooking time to raise the temperature to about 150 degrees, which in our opinion is the perfect temperature for pork.
If you want these Grilled BBQ Pork Chops more well done, just keep them on the grill another few minutes before letting them rest.
What Does A Brine Do?
Brining is the process of submerging meat in a water and salt solution. It not only adds flavor to the meat but it helps the meat (as in this pork recipe) retain water, which makes for a more juicy, flavorful end result.
Brining also tenderizes the meat, so on top of the most juicy pork chops you’ve ever eaten, they’re going to be super tender too.
You can add tons of flavors to a brine, depending on what type of meat you’re brining. This is the brine recipe that we used for these pork chops:
- Water
- Kosher Salt
- Bay Leaves
- Whole Peppercorns
- Brown Sugar
- Garlic Cloves
What Kind Of Pork Chops Are Best For The Grill?
These Grilled Barbecue Pork Chops are thick, bone-in chops that are perfect for grilling. Using pork with the bone-in always helps to keep the end product juicier and not dried out.
But since we’re using a brine for this pork chop recipe you could use boneless pork chops if you prefer. They won’t turn out as moist as the bone-in version but the brine will do its job and help them not to dry out as much.
When using boneless pork chops for this recipe you should let the chops soak longer in the brine than you would for the bone-in pork chops.
What Sides Go Well With This Pork Chop Recipe?
We’ve got side dishes galore to share with you! Whether you’re making these BBQ pork chops for a party or BBQ, or just for dinner, we’ve got the perfect side dish to go along with them!
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Cheesy Crock Pot Potatoes
- Mini Roasted Peppers
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Sweet Cornbread Recipe
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Super Creamy Coleslaw
Looking For More Grilling Recipes?
- Grilled Salmon Recipe
- Bourbon Steak Kabobs
- Whiskey Flank Steak
- Our Favorite Chicken Marinade
- Balsamic Chicken On The Grill
Grilled BBQ Pork Chops
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- To For The Brine: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThese Grilled BBQ Pork Chops are super juicy thanks to a quick brine! Just a few minutes on the grill and dinner is done!
Ingredients
- 4 thick sliced, bone in pork chops
- Pork dry rub (any type will work, or use the dry rub seasonings from our Pulled Pork recipe!)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Brine:
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, whole
For the Barbecue Sauce:
- 1 cup honey barbecue sauce (regular flavor will work too)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (or orange juice)
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the brine into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Let the brine cool for 5 minutes on the stove with the heat turned off and then pour into a bowl over an ice bath (see note). Let the brine cool completely; this should take about 30 minutes, stirring often.
- Once the brine has cooled, pour over the pork chops in a glass dish or a resealable bag. Let the pork chops brine in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Remove the pork chops from the brine and dry off with paper towels. Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat, about 400 degrees.
- While the grill is preheating, mix the ingredients for the BBQ sauce together in a bowl and set aside.
- Oil the grill grates or spray with non-stick cooking spray and then cook the pork chops for 4-5 minutes on each side. After 4 minutes on the second side, start to brush the pork chops with the barbecue sauce. We like to brush on the sauce, close the lid for 2 minutes and then brush more sauce on the chops.
- Remove the pork chops from the grill when they reach 145 degrees. Place the pork chops on a platter and cover with foil for at least 5 minutes.
- Serve the grilled barbecue pork chops with juices from the platter poured on top and extra barbecue sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes
Ice Bath: Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Place a smaller bowl on top of the water and ice so that the smaller bowl sits on top. When the brine is done, pour it into the smaller bowl and stir until the brine is cooled completely.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
