Juicy Grilled Pork Chops (Easy Overnight Brine Recipe)
The secret to these juicy and tender Grilled Pork Chops is the super easy overnight brine recipe. Say goodbye to dry flavorless pork!
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 2 bone-in pork chops 1.5-1.75 inches thick
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 large garlic clove rough chopped
- 1 shallot chopped
- 5 juniper berries cracked
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 rosemary sprig about 4 inches
- 4 cups ice cubes
For the Pork Rub
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the Brine
- Add the water to the saucepan over high heat. Stir in the salt, sugar, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic, shallot, juniper berries, bay leaf, and rosemary. While the mixture comes to a boil, add the ice to a large bowl. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add it to the ice and stir. The mixture will cool down quickly.2 bone-in pork chops 1.5-1.75 inches thick, 2 cups water, ¼ cup kosher salt, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 10 black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 large garlic clove, 1 shallot, 5 juniper berries, 1 bay leaf, 1 rosemary sprig, 4 cups ice cubes
Brine the Chops
- Once cool, submerge the pork chops into the bowl of ice and cooled brine and place the mixture into the refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours.
Grill the Pork Chops
- Remove the pork from the brine. Rinse the pork well with cold water, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Rub the chops with the olive oil. Next combine the coriander, lemon zest, black pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl and evenly coat all sides of each pork chop with the seasoning mixture. Let the pork chops sit for 20 minutes at room temperature before grilling.2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, Zest of 1 lemon, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Grill over medium-high direct heat for 5 minutes per side. Then move the chops to indirect heat and cook, flipping every few minutes. Also, sprinkle some of the lemon juice on each side of the pork chops as they cook. Check the internal temperature often and remove as soon as the chops reach 145°F internally (total cook time will be between 15-25 minutes).2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Once you remove the chops from the grill, let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Herbs: The bay leaf, juniper, and rosemary are easily replaceable with any fresh herbs (fresh thyme or sage) or some spices that you might like in the brine (e.g., fennel seeds, cloves, mustard seeds, etc.). Feel free to experiment with different flavor combos in the brine solution.
- Pork Chop: Pork Tenderloin or pork loin chops can easily be a replacement for bone-in pork chops in this recipe.
- How to store leftover grilled pork chops: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- How to reheat leftover pork chops: Wrap in foil and reheat slowly in a 350°F oven until warmed through
- Can you freeze leftover pork chops? They can be frozen after grilling. The texture and juiciness when reheated will not be as good when you reheat them, but you can freeze the cooked pork chops for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 36gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 14280mgPotassium: 705mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
