Grilled Pork Chops With Lime, Cilantro & Garlic Recipe - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to grilling pork chops? ›

For the most tender pork chops, marinate the pork (or let them sit with the rub) for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Let the Meat Come to Room Temperature Prior to Grilling. If you throw the meat on the grill cold, by the time the inside comes to temperature, the outside will be overcooked.

A longer brine will bring more moisture into the pork, but a quick brine will still be helpful if you're in a rush to get dinner started. A thick pork chop (1 ½” to 2”) can brine for longer, but avoid brining for more than 8 hours to prevent toughness. After brining, rinse pork chops and pat dry to remove excess salt.

Thick pork chops are grilled over high heat to develop flavor before moving to low heat to cook them gently—that's how you keep them from drying out.

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.

Best Seasoning for Pork Chops

Thyme and sage add herby and floral notes complementing pork's flavor exceptionally well. There's also a combination of smoked paprika, pepper, and a little bit of cayenne pepper, which all give your pork chops a lovely, not overly spicy, kiss of heat.

Start by placing your pork chops on a plate and pat them dry all over with a paper towel. Really take your time here. Once dry, rub olive oil all over using your hands. Make sure to coat them well on both sides.

Mix milk with first amount of salt (2 teaspoons) and allow pork chops to soak in this mixture for as long as you'd like, about an hour to maybe four works well. Overnight soaking will result in too much moisture & your breading will fall off. Remove pork chops from brine, and set aside.

For juicy, flavorful pork chops, try brining the chops before grilling or broiling — two high-heat cooking methods that can quickly dry out lean pork chops. Brines are essentially salty, sugary water solutions; they'll keep the meat moist, while adding flavor.

Let your chops sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before you begin to cook them. If the meat is too cold, the outside will overcook while the inside comes to the right temperature. Giving the pork a little time to warm up will ensure a nice crust on the outside, with a tender center.

Why are my grilled pork chops tough? ›

Because pork chops are such a lean cut, they are relatively quick-cooking and prone to overcooking. When they're cooked for even a few minutes too long, whether it's in the oven or on the stovetop or grill, they're quick to dry out, and — you guessed it — become tough, chewy, and less than appealing.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-400 degrees) 20 minutes prior to grilling. Place pork chops on grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Move pork chops to indirect heat (or lower temp to medium) and cook for 8-12 more minutes, flipping once, or until pork chops reach 145 degrees F.

Put your chops in a zip lock bag, add the brine and refrigerate them for about 8 hours. I wouldn't go over 12 hours because they can become over brined and the meat will get mushy. Take them out of the brine and dry them before you cook them.

Cure, such as nitrite, chemically changes the color of muscle. Curing solutions are colored in order to distinguish them from other ingredients (such as sugar or salt) used in fresh and cured meat products. For example, cured raw pork is gray, but cured cooked pork (e.g., ham) is light pink.

Place meat in a dish and cover with water. Remove meat and stir roughly 4 level Tbs of baking soda into the water. Put meat back in and soak (in refrigerator) overnight. Rinse THOROUGHLY and cook.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-400 degrees) 20 minutes prior to grilling. Place pork chops on grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Move pork chops to indirect heat (or lower temp to medium) and cook for 8-12 more minutes, flipping once, or until pork chops reach 145 degrees F.