Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops
1.5-inch bone-in chops brined 30 minutes, then reverse-seared to a 140°F internal — pink at the center, deeply browned on the outside, never dry.
grill Timer
Set for 25 mins @ 375°F ambient two-zone (Flip at 18m)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point
Brine 4 thick chops in 4 cups water + 1/4 cup salt + 2 tbsp sugar for 30 min.
Pat dry, oil, season with pepper only (brine has the salt). Grill indirect at 375°F.
Indirect side 18 min to 130°F internal, then direct 2-3 min per side to 140°F.
Rest 8 min tented — carries to 145°F, the USDA safe minimum for medium pork.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
In a large bowl, dissolve 1/4 cup kosher salt and 2 tbsp brown sugar in 4 cups cold water. Add 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (1.5 inches thick). Refrigerate 30 minutes — no longer, or the meat turns hammy.
Modern pork is bred so lean it dries out in 30 seconds of overcooking. Brining is the difference between juicy chops and jerky — this is non-negotiable for thick cuts.
Remove chops from brine and pat completely dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with 2 tbsp neutral oil, then season with 2 tsp coarse black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Skip added salt — the brine handled it.
Dry surface is a hard requirement for grill marks. A wet chop steams itself, never browns, and slides on the grate.
Gas grill: light half the burners on high, leave the other half off. Target 375°F ambient with the lid closed. Charcoal: bank all coals to one side. Clean and oil the grates on both sides.
Two zones give you a temperature-controlled zone and a sear zone in one grill. Cooking thick chops on direct heat alone burns the outside black before the center hits 130°F.
Place chops on the cool side of the grill (indirect). Close the lid and cook 15-18 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 130°F at the thickest point away from the bone.
The reverse-sear is exactly what makes thick chops different from thin. Indirect first slowly brings the center to temp; the sear at the end only handles the crust.
Move chops to the direct-heat hot side. Sear 2-3 minutes per side until deep grill marks form and internal temp hits 140°F. Do not press down on the chops.
Pressing squeezes juices onto the coals. Tongs, flip, tongs, flip, tongs — never a spatula and never pressure.
Move chops to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 8 minutes — the internal temp carries from 140°F to 145°F, the USDA-safe medium doneness for pork.
USDA changed the pork safe temp from 160°F to 145°F in 2011. If you're still cooking to 160°F, you're eating pork jerky — this is the technique that catches you up to modern science.
Ask the butcher for 1.5-inch chops cut from the rib end — they'll be marbled with more fat than the loin end and stay juicy on the grill. Boxed 3/4-inch chops from the meat case cook in 4 minutes and give you no room for error.
Slice one grilled chop off the bone into 1/4-inch medallions and serve with a small ramekin of applesauce or barbecue sauce. Thick chops on the bone are hard for young mouths to navigate.
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Apple-fennel slaw
- Herbed rice pilaf
Slice cold, arrange on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave 45 seconds at 60% power. Reheating pork chops full-power turns tender pink meat to gray shoe soles.