Grilled Pork Chops (with the most delicious marinade!)
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When I make these grilled pork chops, guests ask for the recipe. The trick to making them tender and juicy is to use my flavourful wet spice rub.
Pork chops cooked on the grill are notoriously dry and hard to cook. But armed with my secret trick, you can master juicy grilled pork chops. When developing this recipe, I tested several versions before declaring this one the winner.
The secret is to use a wet spice rub made with oil, vinegar, and spices. The oil creates a barrier to protect the lean meat while the vinegar tenderizes it. The spices make this the most flavorful grilled pork chop recipe.
Bonus: Unlike many pork recipes, this one is 100% sugar-free!
Key ingredients
This marinade is my absolute favorite. It’s a BBQ-friendly version of the one I use in my baked pork chops recipe and very similar to the one I use in my grilled chicken breast recipe.
You’ll gather the spices listed below and mix them with olive oil and apple cider vinegar to make it. Adding oil to meat helps prevent moisture when it cooks, and vinegar tenderizes meat. It’s a dynamic duo that helps keep the grilled chops tender.
- Thick-cut, boneless pork chops: I like to use boneless as they cook faster so there is less chance of them burning.
- Olive oil: This important ingredient helps to keep the pork chops tender and moist.
- Apple cider vinegar: Just a little vinegar works to tenderize the pork chops.
I adore pork chops for dinner. If you love them too, make sure to check out all of my pork chop recipes!
How long to grill pork chops
The thickness of your pork chops will determine how long they need to stay on the BBQ. I don’t recommend grilling pork chops less than 1 inch thick as they tend to dry out more quickly.
On a medium-high heat BBQ, you want to grill boneless pork chops for 14 minutes per inch of thickness. Add 2 minutes per inch if you’re using bone-in pork chops.
Using an instant-read meat thermometer is the best way to tell if your pork chops are cooked and not overcooked. When you think your chops are done, insert the thermometer into the middle of one of them. If it reads 145 degrees Fahrenheit, your chops are ready to come off the grill.
Serving suggestions
When the weather is hot, and you’re standing in front of the grill, the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven to make a side dish. That’s why having a few BBQ-friendly and no-cook side dish recipes is so important. Here are my favorites:
- Grilled Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Avocado Cucumber Salad
- Smoky Parmesan Corn on the Cob
- Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Pesto
Store and reheat
Store: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in your fridge.
Reheat: Leftovers taste great when served cold, thinly sliced over a salad for lunch. You can also reheat them gently in the microwave.
Freeze: Grilled pork chops taste best fresh. But if you want to freeze your leftovers, they will keep them in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months.
Pork Chops On the Grill
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 1-inch thick boneless pork chops
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until a thick paste forms.4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon oregano
- Coat both sides of the pork chops in the paste and set them aside on a plate to marinate while you warm up the grill, or up to 8 hours.4 1-inch thick boneless pork chops
- Preheat your grill to medium-high. If you have a BBQ Mat, use it as it will help keep your BBQ clean.
- Place the pork chops on the grill over direct heat and then close the BBQ lid. Let them cook for 5 minutes, and then flip them over and cook for another 5 minutes. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. If it's 145 (or higher), remove the chops from the BBQ. If it's lower, keep them on for a few minutes more. Let them rest for 5 minutes after removing them from the grill.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always amazing! I enjoy this more than steak! Question though, I went to make it tonight and after I prepped them we realized there was something else that needed to be ate first so I threw them in the fridge… Will they be ok sitting overnight and through the day tomorrow for dinner?? Like is it a thing to marinate too long?
Hi Chelsea! They will definitely still be safe to eat, but the texture might change a bit as the acid in the vinegar breaks down the meat overtime. I hate wasting food, so if it were me, I would still cook them. Tip for next time … if you need to pause marinating, you can put them into the freezer. Once they are frozen, the marinating process stops and only resumes once thawed. I hope you still enjoy them as much as always!
These were very good! I had a couple of pretty thick pork chops and let them marinate for about six hours. Put them on the grill and they were so incredibly moist and tender. I couldn’t believe it would definitely make again.Thank you for the recipe
I’m so happy you loved them! Six hours is perfect for the marinade — no wonder they turned out so tender and juicy. Thank you for coming back to share your note! 💛
I rarely write reviews but this one is worth raving about! I substituted ground white pepper and smoked paprika because it’s what I had on hand, but still turned out perfect. Definitely will be my go to for chops!
Thank you so much—that means a lot! I’m honored this recipe earned a rare review from you! Love your swaps—white pepper and smoked paprika sound delicious. So glad it turned out perfect and made the chops list! 🥰🐖
I slightly overcooked the pork chops and probably should have marinated them longer, but the flavor was wonderful. I’m planning on using the delicious marinade on chicken tonight. The recipe is “a keeper’.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Even with a little overcooking, I’m so glad the flavors hit the spot. Using the marinade on chicken sounds like a fantastic idea—hope it turns out just as delicious! Definitely a recipe worth keeping. 😊🍗
I gave up grilling pork chops years ago, because they always came out dry and tough. On a whim I tried this recipe, and had the best, most tender pork chops I can remember ever having. The flavor was amazing. I tried again a few weeks later to see if this was a consistent result- only this time I left the chops marinating 24 hours in the fridge. They were even better the second time! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Didnt read directions carefully (plus it could’ve been written better). I grilled my chops 14 min each side! Overdone. Directions shouldve said “7 min each side”.
Temperature ranges are subjective unless exact degrees are given. Time of cooking is only wide-ranged estimate at best since heat of grill, temperature of pork chop, density of the meat, and flames vs indirect can affect cooking time. Always cook to an internal temperature of the meat and never to time.
it does say that, very clearly
This came together so easily, I only marinated for about 15 minutes and still tender and flavorful
WOW! These were literally THE juciest tastiest pork chops we’ve ever eaten. We said YUM after every bit!
Tried for the first time. Used thinner breakfast chops. Med/High Heat. Warmed grill for 10 minutes and then seared pork chops on each side for 5 minutes. Quite tasty! Will use this recipe again!
Wonderful low carb wet rub! The whole family loved it.
This was an easy, excellent recipe. I love it.
Tried today and the whole family loved it! Pork chops were moist and the flavor was great. It’s a keeper 🙂
These came out great!
So simple, and actually juicy! Only marinated for about 30 min, but very tasty.
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!
TENDER PC I HAVE EVER MADE.
FINALLY A RECIPE WORTH USING AGAIN
D.RIGGENBACH
it was very easy and delicious. Making it again. good for the next day for sandwiches or with rice.