Grilled pork chops make for an easy summer (or anytime) dinner.

An easy lemon herb marinade makes them tender, juicy, and flavorful. Serve them with a simple salad and add some grilled veggies, then dine al fresco!

plated Grilled Pork Chops with vegetables

Perfectly Grilled Pork Chops

  • Pork, AKA ‘the other white meat’, is a healthy meal, and they’re easy to grill!
  • The marinade adds flavor while making for extra tender meat.
  • This recipe can be made with bone-in or boneless chops.
  • Pork chops are affordable and accessible, plus they cook fast making for the perfect dinner.
ingredients to make Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients & Variations

Pork Chops – Pork chops can be packaged in thicknesses from ½-inch thick to 1 ½-inches. This recipe works with bone-in pork chops (which is what we prefer) or boneless chops. The cooking times in the recipe below are intended for ¾-inch thick chops.

Marinade – Lemon juice adds a bright flavor and helps to tenderize the meat as it marinates. Brown sugar brings a hint of sweetness and helps with caramelization while the savory herbs balance out the flavor of the marinade.

How to Grill Pork Chops

Grill marinated pork chops over medium-high heat until the internal temperature reaches 145°F at the thickest point. Use this handy guide for grilling bone-in or boneless pork chops on a gas grill at a medium-high temp:

  • cook 1/2″ chops for 4 minutes per side
  • cook 3/4″ chops for 5-6 minutes per side
  • cook 1″ chops for 7-9 minutes per side

For really thick chops with a ‘fat cap’ (a thicker ribbon of fat on one edge) slice the fat diagonally every ¼” inch across the fat. This will prevent the meat from curling up as it cooks.

Keep the fat on because it adds great flavor!

sheet pan full of Grilled Pork Chops and cooked vegetables

Tips & Tricks for Pork Chops

  • For best results, marinate the pork chops for a minimum of 2 hours to season and tenderize the meat.
  • Always start with a preheated grill so the meat sears on the outside, instantly sealing in all the juices! A light brush of oil across the grill grate will prevent sticking.
  • Avoid pressing down the meat with a spatula as this will squeeze out the juices and make the chops tough.
  • Use a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness. Pork should be at 145°F, and remember, it will continue to cook as it rests.

For the Juiciest Pork Chops…

Pork is lean so it’s important to ensure they don’t overcook. Pork can be a little bit pink inside.

Pork is best cooked to 145°F but we remove it from the grill a few degrees early as the temperature will rise as it rests. Be sure to allow at least 5 minutes to rest before serving.

plated Grilled Pork Chops

Leftovers?

Leftover pork chops can be kept in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 4 days.

Reheat them in the microwave or air fryer just until heated through. Freeze portions wrapped in plastic and then place them in a zippered bag. Freeze for up to 4 weeks.

Serve with These Tasty Sides:

Did your family love this Grilled Pork Chops Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

plated Grilled Pork Chops
5 from 13 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Grilled Pork Chops

A simple marinade makes these grilled pork chops wonderfully tender and juicy!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients  

  • 4-6 bone-in pork chops ¾-inch thick

Marinade

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or large freezer bag. Add pork chops and marinate for at least 2 hours.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high.
  • Remove the pork from the marinade allowing any excess to drip off.
  • Grill pork 5-6 minutes per side or until temperature reaches 145°F with an instant-read thermometer. Do not overcook.
  • Let the pork chops rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Bone-in or boneless chops can be used in this recipe, we prefer the flavor of bone-in pork chops.
Optional: add 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard to the marinade
This recipe is for pork chops that are 3/4 inch thick. Thicker chops will need additional time while thinner chops will cook faster. For the best results, use an instant-read thermometer.
Allow the chops to cook on one side until they have nice color without pressing or flipping. They should be easy to remove from the grill, if they stick, leave them a bit longer.
Chops should reach an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part. Remove them from the grill a few degrees early (about 140-142°F) as the temperature will continue to rise as they rest. Pork can be a little bit pink inside.
  • cook 1/2-inch chops for 4 minutes per side
  • cook 3/4-inch chops for 5-6 minutes per side
  • cook 1-inch chops for 7-9 minutes per side
 
5 from 13 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 223 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 4.8mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Pork
Cuisine American

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

cooked Grilled Pork Chops on a plate with vegetables and a title
plated Grilled Pork Chops with a title
plated Grilled Pork Chops with vegetables and writing
cooked Grilled Pork Chops on a plate and close up with writing

Categories:

, , ,

Recipes you'll love

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

latest & greatest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I used your brine recipe with this marinade and they were phenomenal. Best pork chops I’ve ever had! Cooked perfectly and enjoyed very much by my whole family!!5 stars

  2. i so can’t wait to make this for my dad since he loves pork chops. whenever we grill out my mom gets him pork chops and me steak and something for herself.

  3. Made this last week with my husband and we LOVED it! We usually throw our pork chops in the crock pot with barbecue sauce and they come out tough and bitter… Your recipe has blown our minds! We’ve never had pork chops as juicy and tender as these! They are perfect and we’re making them again tonight. Thank you!