Sweet and Smokey Grilled Pork Chops Recipe: A dynamite flavor combination for grilled pork chops, basted with a sweet herby glaze.
Hello! I am Renee Sitavich: owner, writer, photographer, and chief dish washer over at Renee Nicole’s Kitchen. I blog about food, wine, and all things kitchen related. Today Jessica has asked me to share my recipe for these quick and easy, sweet and smokey, bone-in pork chops.
Sweet & Smokey Grilled Pork Chops
These pork chops are tender and juicy, with just the right balance between sweet and smokey.
Bone-In Vs. Boneless Pork Chops
Bone-in pork chops are best as they tend to cook a bit slower and lend a richer flavor to the meat. Even with the bone, these only require about 3 minutes per side to achieve the perfect medium finish.
Look for chops that are 1″ – 1 1/2″ thick. I usually find them in the butcher’s case at the grocery store. If you do opt for boneless chops, cut about 30 seconds of cooking time off of each side. My instructions here are for the grill, but with a cast iron skillet you can get a great result on the stove top as well.
Pork Chop Cooking Tips
The chops need about 20 – 30 minutes to come up to room temperature before cooking, so start by pulling your meat from the fridge. If you throw cold meat directly on the grill, the outside will cook much quicker than the inside, leaving you with a charred exterior and a raw interior.
While the meat warms up, preheat your grill and make the glaze. You want the grill grate to be scorching hot to sear the outside of the chops. So, turn it to high and give it plenty of time to heat. Mine takes about 15 minutes, so I use the first 15-minute rest to prep other veggies and sides.
The Glaze
Once the grill is on, start your glaze. In a small saucepan combine the honey, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, basil, paprika, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once it boils, drop the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened by half. It should have a syrup-like consistency and coat the back of a spoon. Once it’s done, remove it from the heat and set aside.
Prep the Pork Chops
When the grill is hot and the glaze is finished, it’s time to prep the chops. Rinse them off under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Don’t skip this part. When introduced to heat, water makes oil scramble away. If you leave the extra moisture behind, it can cause the chops to stick even if the meat/grate is well oiled. Liberally season each chop with salt and pepper then drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Rub the olive oil, salt, and pepper evenly onto the chop and you are ready to go.
Grilled Pork Chops
Heading out to the grill, in addition to the chops, make sure to take with you a timer, meat thermometer, your glaze with a basting brush, and a clean plate.
These chops cook so quickly that having to go search for any of these can cause them to overcook.
Cook Time
Place the chops on the screaming hot grill and let them sit for 30 seconds, to get a good sear.
Flip them over and set the time for 30 seconds.
When it goes off, lower the temp to medium and grill for an additional 2 1/2 minutes. Flip them over.
Brush the top side with the glaze and continue to grill for an additional 2 1/2 minutes. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the meat, close to but not touching the bone.
Cook Temp
For medium chops, aim for a temperature of 135 degrees while on the grill. They will continue to cook as they rest, which should bring them up to the 145 degrees.
If they are ready, flip them onto the clean plate and baste the back side of the chops with the sauce. Take them in and cover them with foil to rest for 5 – 10 minutes. Give them one more baste with the glaze prior to serving.
Serve on the Side
I like these chops best served with a sweet potato puree and some simple green veggies. Broccoli, asparagus, or green beans all work nicely.
If you want to dial it up a notch, serve them with a smoky Syrah/Shiraz or a peppery red Zinfandel.
These pork chops are tender and juicy, with just the right balance between sweet and smokey.
Sweet and Smokey Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1-1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
- 1-1/2 teaspoon fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bone-in pork chops 1" - 1½" thick
- olive oil
- salt pepper
Instructions
- Pull the chops from the fridge and allow them to rest 30 minutes to warm up.
- Heat the grill on high.
- In a small saucepan combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Once boiling drop heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The glaze should have an almost syrup-like consistency.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Rinse pork chops with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season liberally with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Rub salt, pepper, and olive oil evenly on the surface of the chops.
- Place the chops on a screaming hot grill for 30 seconds to sear.
- Flip and set the timer for another 30 seconds.
- Drop the heat to medium and continue to cook for an additional 2½ minutes.
- Flip the chops over, baste the top side with the glaze, and cook for an additional 2½ minutes.
- Check the internal temperature to see if it's reached 135 degrees. If you need to keep cooking make sure to flip them after each additional minute so that you don't burn one side.
- Once the chops reach 135 degrees, flip them onto a clean plate, baste with the glaze and cover with aluminum foil.
- Allow them to rest 5 - 10 minutes, during which time they should come up to 145 degrees internally.
- Baste them a second time, front and back, prior to serving.
Nutrition
Cheers and Happy Cooking! Renee
Aw, thank you so much Renee! This recipe sounds absolutely amazing! If you’re here for the first time, then you must browse our “slightly homemade” recipes HERE!
Thank you for swinging by, and enjoy your pork chops!