This recipe uses a quick brine and a homemade Bacon BBQ Sauce to create the most flavorful, juicy pork chops you could imagine! Thick cuts are a key to success in making the Best BBQ Grilled Pork Chops and the brine ensures they retain moisture so you will no longer suffer from dried-out chops.
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Remember when I introduced you to brine with my Margarita Chicken Kabobs? The same technique is used here but instead of the brine being flavoured like a marinade it is just a basic brine recipe that can be used for any pork chops as well as chicken.
Pork doesn't get enough love but I think that, when prepared properly, it can be just as tasty (if not more!) than the beloved steak...and much easier on the pocketbook! If you are looking for more pork recipes to try check out my Pork Medallions in Creamy Mushroom Sauce, Thai Meatballs in Red Curry Peanut Sauce, and this Mustard and Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Quick and Easy - Even if you make homemade BBQ sauce this recipe comes together quickly and it's so easy you will wonder why you haven't been making BBQ grilled pork chops more often!
The Best and Easiest BBQ Sauce! - All the ingredients to make this bbq sauce you probably already have on hand and it all comes together in less than 20 minutes!
Economical - Pork chops are very inexpensive compared to other red meats and making your own BBQ sauce will save you money too!
Tender and Juicy - Taking the extra step to brine your pork chops will turn you into a pro at cooking tender and juicy chops every-single-time!
I'll admit I didn't get the best char marks on these chops. That's mainly because of the Traeger wood pellet smoker/grill we use which doesn't get as hot as a regular gas or charcoal grill does and I don't like to use "tricks" to make the food look differently than it actually did when I made it. Trust me when I say that you don't need the char for there to be flavour in this recipe. The brine, a sprinkle of spices, and the best BBQ sauce ever takes care of it all!
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🥘Ingredients For BBQ Grilled Pork Chops
Here's what you will need to make this recipe. For quantities see the recipe card below.
To make the pork chops all you need is:
- Center cut chops, minimum 1 ½ inches thick
- Onion and garlic powder, sugar and black pepper
- Salt, sugar, and water for the brine
For the Bacon BBQ Sauce you will need:
- Bacon
- Grated onion
- Fresh garlic
- Chili powder and sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ketchup
- Hot sauce
- Worchestershire sauce
🔪How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Brine - start by mixing the brine together and submerging the pork chops in either a container or dish large enough or a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes while you make the BBQ sauce.
Step 2. Prepare the BBQ sauce - This sauce is so quick and easy you will be making it all summer long and putting it on everything! Start by cooking bacon in a medium saucepan until browned. Add grated onion and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the spices and cook for one more minute. Add vinegar, ketchup, hot sauce, and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
Step 3. Grill the pork chops - Preheat the grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with the spice blend. Place on hot grill and cook for 4 minutes. Flip to the other side and using a brush, brush BBQ sauce on the already cooked side. Cook on the second side for 4 minutes, flip again and add sauce to that side. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chops, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Transfer to a platter and cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
🥣Substitutions
- Center cut chops - You can use any pork chops for this recipe. Keep in mind cooking times will vary depending on how thick your chops are cut. My second choice for grilling would be rib chops.
- Homemade BBQ sauce - You don't have to use a homemade sauce for this recipe. Feel free to substitute with your favourite store-bought brand.
- Spice rub - the spice rub is an added bonus of flavour. The pork chops will still be flavourful and delicious without it.
How to cook pork chops in the oven?
Don't have a grill or it's not grilling weather? Not to worry. I have you covered with a pan-roasted method.
- Follow the recipe up to Cooking The Chops.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat an oven-proof frying pan or cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Add a teaspoon of avocado or other high-heat oil to the pan and sear the first side for 2 minutes. Flip and add BBQ sauce to the top side. Sear the second side for 2 minutes, flip, and brush top and sides with BBQ sauce.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until internal temperature is 145 degrees F, 8-12 minutes for bone-in, 1 inch thick, chops.
- You can add more BBQ sauce halfway through baking if desired.
Storage
Store leftover grilled pork chops covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The BBQ sauce will keep in the fridge, in an air-tight container, for one week.
Pro-Tips For Grilling Pork Chops
Make extra BBQ sauce - this sauce is delicious on any of your favourite grilled meats such as chicken or beef.
Make sure the grill is preheated. Lower the heat if the BBQ sauce starts getting too dark. Starting with a hot grill helps achieve a nice char but with BBQ sauce you have to be careful not to burn it.
Use thick-cut pork - although you can grill thinner chops they will be much juicier when they are a minimum of one inch thick.
Use a thermometer - For best results use a quick-read thermometer like this Thermapen by Thermoworks. It's the most accurate and fastest on the market!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about grilling pork chops.
Brining pork chops before grilling helps keep them juicy. The brine helps the meat retain its moisture which prevents them from drying out. Also, don't overcook. Using a quick read thermometer is a sure way to cook them perfectly to 145 degrees F every time.
Bone-in center-cut loin and rib chops are the best for grilling. The bone and the extra fat add more flavour and helps keep them tender. Excess fat can be trimmed after grilling.
Grill pork chops quickly over medium-high to high heat. Depending on the thickness, they will only take a few minutes on each side. It's better to undercook them as you can always throw them back on the grill to finish them off.
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What to Serve With BBQ Grilled Pork Chops
Below are my top suggestions but you can find many other delicious sides to go with this recipe over in my Salad Recipes and Sides categories.
- Sauteed Lemon Garlic Kale
- Easy Dill Pickle Chopped Salad
- Summer Succotash
- Cumin & Lime Coleslaw
- Creamy Cauliflower & Celery Root Puree
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and/or a comment below. You can also follow me on social media here on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Best BBQ Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt (not coarse)
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 3 cups cool water
- 2 (225g/8oz each) bone-in center cut or rib chops, 1 inch thick
Spice Rub
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Bacon Barbecue Sauce
- 2 slices bacon
- ¼ white onion, grated or minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
Instructions
For the pork
- Dissolve the salt and sugar in 3 cups cool water in a large container or resealable bag. Submerge the chops in the brine, cover and refrigerate for one hour. Combine the dry rub ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
For the barbeque sauce
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the fat begins to render and bacon is is browning. Add grated onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder and continue cooking and stirring for 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar, ketchup, hot sauce and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer, pressing all the sauce through so you don’t miss a drop! You should have about one cup of sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking the chops
- Preheat your outdoor grill, or grill pan for cooking indoors, to medium-high heat. Use a paper towel to oil grates or grill pan.
- Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle dry rub all over both sides.
- Place chops on the grill and cook for 4 minutes on the first side. Flip and add barbecue sauce to the top and sides. Cook on the second side for another 4 minutes. Flip again and brush the top with sauce. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your chops, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Transfer pork chops to a plate or platter. Loosely cover and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
Sue says
Oh good golly Miss Molly! Attempted the bacon bbq sauce tonight (NOT a cooker person here!). Didn’t have any regular bacon so rendered down a couple pork belly strips. OMG we didn’t even get to the chicken or the pork chops LOL we were grabbing veggies, crusty bread, and anything else we could put our hands on to dunk all that sauce! We had a bacon barbeque sauce dinner 🤣 SO AMAZING! Hubby added the leftover bacon and onion into his mashed potatoes later on. Delish! Love being able to control the salt and sugar content. Another winner Andrea, as usual! TY
Andrea says
I love this so much! Having the sauce on mashed potatoes is next level! So happy you enjoyed it and thanks for the comment!
Deb H says
Delicious, like always Andrea you are awesome lady .Thanks again
Deb
Andrea says
So happy you enjoyed the chops! Thanks for commenting!
Jeanine says
Hi Andrea,
Another fabulous recipe! I don't make the BBQ, but I use the brine a d the spice rub. We have BBQed them and done them in the oven...delicious!! A keeper in the rotation for sure😁
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the chops. They are super delicious even without the BBQ Sauce! Thanks for commenting!
Kathy Watson says
These pork chops were delicious! I’ve never grilled them before, worried they would be dried out. These were so moist! Thank you!
We enjoy your recipes! I always look forward to the next one.
Kathy
Andrea says
Hi Kathy! I'm so happy you enjoyed the pork chops! Brining makes all the difference! Thanks for commenting!
Jill Williard says
These chops look amazing ! Just wondering if it's a bad idea to brine longer then 60 mins? I was considering prepping them a couple hours before grilling?
Andrea says
Hi Jill! A couple of hours should be fine. I haven't really tested different lengths of time except for overnight. That resulted in them being too salty and a bit of a soggy texture. I think 2 hours +\- would be totally fine. You can also remove them from the brine at any time and they can stay in the fridge until you are ready to go. Hope that helps and you enjoy them!
Lucianna says
These look delicious! On my list for this week but my bbq is awaiting assembly! Can I cook these in the oven?
Lucianna says
Oops never mind! I just read your entire post instead of jumping to the recipe 🙂 I should’ve known you are always awesomely informative
Andrea says
No worries at all! I'm happy to help! 😊
Andrea says
Hi Lucianna! Yes you absolutely can! The full details are written in the post just above the recipe card. Let me know if you have any other questions and I hope you enjoy the chops!
Lorie says
As usual another GREAT recipe. My husband LOVED the chops as well and commented on how juicy they were. Thanks Andrea can't wait to see what's next.
lorie
Andrea says
Fantastic! I'm so happy you both enjoyed them!
Kim MacKenzie says
Thank you again Andrea for an amazing recipe. My family absolutely loved the BBQ Pork Chops with home made barbeque sauce. Made it today, Father's Day, and my husband said it was the best pork chop he has ever had - so juicy and tender and oh so flavourful!!!
Kim MacKenzie
Andrea says
I'm so happy to hear you all enjoyed the recipe. Especially your husband on Father's Day! Thanks so much for commenting!
Betty-Kay Murray says
These look amazing and I plan to give them a try. I do have a question about the bacon - do you cut it and add it back in the sauce or do you discard it?
Andrea says
Hi Betty!
Yes you discard the bacon. However, if you want to leave it in you could cut it up before hand and not strain the sauce in the end. Hope
You enjoy it!