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Charcoal-Grilled Pork Chops
- Prep Time -
- Cook Time -
- Serves 4
Recipe Provided By: Cook's Illustrated
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1. Ingredients
- 3/4 cup kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 bone-in rib loin pork chops or center-cut loin chops, each 1 1/2 inches thick
- Ground black pepper
Nutrition Info
Per Serving
- Calories: 348 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Sugars: 18 g
About: Nutrition Info 
Powered by: ESHA Nutrient Database
2. Cooking Directions
- Dissolve salt and sugar in 3 quarts cold water in 2-gallon zipper-lock plastic bag. Add chops and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. (Alternatively, divide brine and chops evenly between two 1-gallon zipper-lock bags.) Refrigerate, turning bag once, until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Remove chops from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Coat chops with spice rub or season generously with pepper.
- Ignite large chimney starter filled with hardwood charcoal (about 2 1/2 pounds) and burn until charcoal is covered with layer of fine gray ash. Build a two-level fire by stacking most of coals on one side of grill and arranging remaining coals in single layer on other side. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill with lid, and let grate heat up, about 5 minutes. Use wire brush to scrape cooking grate clean.
- Cook chops, uncovered, over hotter part of grill until browned on each side, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Move chops to cooler part of grill and cover with disposable aluminum roasting pan. Continue grilling, turning once, until instant-read thermometer inserted through side of chop and away from bone registers 135 degrees F, 7 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chops to platter; cover with foil pan, and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 145 degrees F. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
3. Still Hungry?
A spice rub (made in five minutes with pantry items) boosts the flavor of these pork chops and helps create an especially crisp crust.
Notes:
Note
Rib loin chops are our top choice for their big flavor and juiciness. Spice rubs add a lot of flavor for very little effort, but the chops can also be seasoned with pepper alone just before grilling.
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Most Helpful Reviews
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Grilled Chops
bluebird12 - July 3, 2007 12:13:32 PM PSTFYI: Kosher Salt has nothing to do with being Jewish.
Coarse salt (aka \'kosher salt\') is used in preserving meats and other foods, and came to be called "kosher salt" from this method of keeping foods.
Grilling chops is a good way to cook, and the brining before cooking keeps juices in, flavor at the max.
I recommend using a little rub before placing on the grill.
Use the flavors you like.
Note: use 1 1/2 inch chops for best results.
Meat on the bone is tastier than boneless.18 of 21 found this review helpful.
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My experience
John S - May 22, 2008 12:15:58 PM PSTI brine all my "white meats" (pork/chicken). Table salt or sea salt works, too. Just mix until salt water tastes salty, put in meats for about 2 hours. Rinse product, season with your favorite spices--onion/garlic POWDER, pepper, Italian seasoning--your choice--no more salt--Although the brine doesn\'t impart too much salt-=-The salt water is absorbed into the capillaries of the meat, thus, not allowing meat to collapse because of the salt trapped, making a very,very moist/untough piece of meat.
10 of 10 found this review helpful.
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Charcoal-Grilled Pork Chops
rockman - July 21, 2007 04:10:15 PM PSTThere is a difference between a brine and a marinade. A brine is made of salt and sugar, and will "cure" the meat. A marinade is different and is usually made with vinegar and onions.
9 of 10 found this review helpful.
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marinade
tromal23 - July 3, 2009 10:07:42 AM PSTI like to marinade my chops in a lite beer w/ season salts, and chopped fresh onions, then grill to perfections. Muy delicioso.
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Best Pork Chops Ever
steve21009 - February 27, 2008 06:02:57 AM PSTThat title says it all. I followed the directions to the letter, except for using a gas grill instead of charcoal. For a rub, we used ground pepper mixed with McCormick "Grill Mates" Pork Rub.
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