Juicy Bone In Pork Chops (Grill or Pan Sear)
If you’re tired of dry, bland pork chops, look no further. These glazed bone in pork chops are juicy, tender, moist and flavorful. You will be amazed at what a few tips and tricks can do.
My husband pays no attention to what I’m cooking, but he never fails to let me know I make the best grilled pork chops 🙂
For this recipe, I grill the pork chops and use a simple and delicious glaze made with grainy Dijon mustard, orange marmalade (or any preserves) and rosemary.
If you don’t have a grill, see the recipe notes for instructions on a pan/oven method.
This is an easy recipe that is ready in under 30 minutes, not including brining which you can do the day before or an hour or two before.
The recipe describes how to cook thick pork chops (as pictured above) and how to cook slightly thinner ones (pictured below).
Ingredient Notes – Tailored To Your Taste
Choose the variations and substitutes that suit you best.
Pork chop options
My preference is a bone in center-cut rib chop (pictured above), preferably with good marbling (fat) as it is the best cut of meat for flavor and tenderness.
- Buy chops that are at least 3/4 inch/1.9cm thick.
- Even better is are thick pork chops (1 -1 1/2 inches/2.5-3.8cm thick) as these will be less likely to dry out on the grill.
The next best option is bone-in pork loin chops (like a T-Bone steak).
Thick boneless pork chops are the most common chops sold in grocery stores. They are very lean – almost no fat – and therefore have a tendency to get tough and dry although brining will help a lot.
Brine ingredients
Brining enhances the flavor and juiciness of the meat. Brining can be wet or dry. For pork chops, I use a wet brine, soaking the chops in a solution of water, kosher salt, garlic, peppercorns and fresh or dried rosemary. It helps break down connective tissue for a tender result.
For more information, here’s a simple brine recipe for pork chops that includes the advantages of brining and more. And check out the shortcut below.
Glaze ingredients
The glaze includes oil, marmalade, grainy mustard, salt, pepper, rosemary.
Substitutes you can try:
- Use peach or apricot jam instead of the marmalade (or try our no-pectin peach marmalade or peach jam without pectin.
- If you prefer, you can use BBQ sauce, a store bought teriyaki glaze or our easy savory peach sauce recipe.
- Use thyme or oregano instead of rosemary.
- If you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Tips
These 4 tips are the best way to ensure juicy pork chops.
- Choose the right type of pork chop
- Brine the chops (or sous vide pork chops). We’ll be brining these, but check out our other pork chop recipes below. Here’s a simple brine recipe for pork chops.
- Don’t over cook! This is super important.
- Let the pork rest before serving.
All these steps are key for the best results. Only the brining requires extra time. It makes a huge difference, though, so if you have the time, it’s worth the extra step. Brining means soaking your pork chops in a bath of salty seasoned water.
Step by step instructions
Recipe FAQ
Thin chops of 1/2 inch/1.27cm only need 30 minutes of brining. Thick pork chops need 1-2 hours. Do not brine pork chops for longer as they will become too salty. Note that only 1% of the total sodium from the brine is absorbed into the meat according to Salon (How much salt does brining add?)
You are aiming for a final temperature of 145F/62.8C, but you will remove the chops from the grill at 140F/60C. The temperature will rise as the chops rest. The important thing is not to overcook the chops or they will become dry. A good rule of thumb is 4-5 minutes per 1/2 inch/1.27cm of thickness. There should be a bit of softness in the meat when pressed with your finger. But using an instant read meat thermometer or probe pierced through the side of the pork chop (deep into the center) is a much preferred method to avoid an overcooked pork chop.
Yes. In the past, the safe temperature for pork chops was 160F/71C. The USDA recommendation for safe cooking is now 145F/62.8C which may show a bit of pink.
Shortcuts
- Brining:
- Speed up the brining time by brining at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. If you’re feeling lazy, just brine with water and kosher salt (I do this all the time!)
- If you really don’t have the time, skip the brining.
- Glaze:
- Skip the glaze in the recipe and use a store-bought glaze such as teriyaki or sweet chili sauce with a bit of Dijon or soy mixed in.
- Or apply your favorite dry rub before grilling pork chops instead of a glaze.
Make Ahead
- Pork chops can be brined for a few hours a day or two ahead. When finished brining, rinse them off well, pat them dry, then store them in the fridge until ready to use.
What to serve with juicy grilled pork chops
Here are a few great sides to serve with the glazed pork chops. The first 4 share the BBQ to make an easy dinner.
Other pork chop recipes you might like
- skillet pork chop dinner
- marinated pork chops
- Vietnamese pork chops (sous vide)
- sous vide pork chops with apple chutney
- homemade shake and bake pork chops (moist and tender)
Or how about an instant pot pork roast with onion gravy?
If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!
Recipe
Juicy Bone In Pork Chops (Grilled or Pan Sear)
Ingredients
Pork chops
- 1.5 pounds (680g) bone-in pork chops, preferably rib chops, Note 1 (3/4-1 1/2 inch thick)
Brine
- 3 cups water not too cold
- 3 tablespoon salt (I use kosher salt – dissolves easily)
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1-2 sprigs fresh)
Glaze
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard (or Dijon)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or half tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped)
- sprinkle salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoon -4 orange marmalade (or peach/apricot preserves) (I use orange or 3 fruit marmalade)
Instructions
- BRINE PORK CHOPS: Combine brine ingredients in a container large enough to let pork chops submerge in brine solution completely or a large ziploc bag. Swirl around to let salt dissolve. Submerge the pork chops. Cover (or zip up bag) and let them sit in fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Note 2. Remove the pork chops. Discard the brine. Rinse well and pat the pork chops dry with paper towels (very important!).
- GATHER GLAZE INGREDIENTS: Don't mix them together.
- PREPARE GRILL AND CHOPS: Clean grill grates and spray with oil. Or brush grates with a paper towel dipped in oil. Heat gas grill to medium-high heat (about 450F/232C). Brush pork chops with olive oil and mustard on both sides. Sprinkle lightly with salt (use more if brining period was short or if you skipped the brining). Sprinkle with pepper and dried rosemary.
- GRILL PORK CHOPS: Grill pork chops for about 2 – 4 minutes on first side. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of pork chops. Turn, then brush with half the marmalade. Grill another 2-4 minutes, just until the internal temperature reaches 140F/60C tested with an instant meat thermometer in thickest part of the meat not near bone (temp will rise to 145F/62/8C with resting). The important thing is not to overcook the chops. Pork should still have a bit of give or softness when pressed with a finger. Turn again for 1 minute to caramelize the marmalade if desired. Note 3 for pan/oven method. Remove from grill, place BBQ pork chops on cutting board or plate and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, to keep warm for 5 minutes (or 10 minutes if chops are very thick). Resting is critical to juiciness and tenderness. It redistributes the juices in the meat to ensure a juicy pork chop.
Recipe Notes
- Type of pork chops to buy: Bone in pork center-cut rib chops are the best cut of meat for flavor and tenderness. Buy chops that are at least 3/4 inch/1.9cm thick. Even better are thicker pork chops ~ 1 -1 1/2 inches/2.5-3.8cm thick. These will be less likely to dry out on the grill. The next best option is bone-in pork loin chops (like a T-Bone steak). Thick boneless pork chops are the most common chops sold in grocery stores. These lean meat chops with almost no fat have a tendency to get tough and dry, but brining will help a lot.
- How long to brine pork chops:
- If the pork chops are thick (over 1 inch/2.5 cm thick), you can brine for up to 2 hours, but if not, brine for 30-60 minutes so they don’t get too salty.
- I brine 3/4 inch bone in pork chops for 30 minutes.
- If only brining thinner chops for an hour or less, pork chops can sit on the counter.
- Shortcut: If you’re feeling lazy, just brine with water and kosher salt (I do this all the time!)
- Pan/oven method (instead of grilling): Preheat oven to 400F/204C. Coat the pork chops with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt lightly (use more if brining period was short and none if brining period was longer than 2 hours). Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Sear the pork chops in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your pork chops, until golden brown. Transfer the chops to a foil-lined pan. Smear some mustard on both sides. Coat the top of the chops with marmalade and sprinkle with rosemary. Put them in the oven for about 5-6 minutes until they reach 140F/60C (temp will rise to 145F/62.8C with resting). Pork should still have a bit of softness when pressed with a finger. An overcooked pork chop will be dry. Remove from oven and let stand, tented with foil, for 5-10 minutes.
- Variations:
- Glaze:
- Skip the glaze in the recipe and use a store-bought glaze such as teriyaki or sweet chili sauce with a bit of Dijon or soy mixed in.
- Or apply a dry rub before grilling pork chops instead of a glaze.
- Use peach or apricot jam instead of the marmalade (or try our no-pectin peach marmalade or our peach jam without pectin.
- If you prefer, you can use BBQ sauce, a store bought teriyaki glaze or our easy savory peach sauce recipe.
- Seasoning: Use thyme or oregano instead of rosemary. And if you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Glaze:
- Make Ahead: Pork chops can be brined a day or two ahead (check above for how long to brine). When finished brining, rinse them off well, pat them dry, then store them in the fridge until ready to use. Continue with the recipe.
Pork chops are typically a little “bland” and I very seldom would order in a restaurant (usually more “exciting” things on the menu) but must say I would put these in my Best Ever category. Which means using Honey-Do list to get them back soon.