Grilling pork chops should be simple—but too often, they turn out dry or overcooked. Here’s how to grill juicy, tender pork chops on a gas grill with no guesswork. A quick brine, if you have time, adds extra moisture and flavor.
⏱️ Quick Answer: How long to grill pork chops?
For a 1-inch pork chop using medium-high heat (about 450°F):
- Cook 12–14 minutes total, flipping every 4 minutes.
- Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F, confirmed by a thermometer.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 😊 Why You’ll Like This Grilled Pork Chops Recipe
- 🔥 What You Need
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Grill Pork Chops
- ⏰ How Long to Grill Pork Chops (by Thickness)
- 🌡️ Pork Chop Doneness (Temperature Guide)
- 👨🍳 Grilling Thick Pork Chops (1½ to 2 Inches)
- 🧂 Seasoning and BBQ Options
- ♨️ Grill Setup and Tips
- 🐖 Buying, Prepping, and Brining Pork Chops
- 🐖 Pork Chop Recipes without a grill
- 🍽️ How to Serve
- ❄️ How to store and reheat leftovers
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Bronzi:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Great recipe. I made for guests and first time I grilled chops. Think brine was the key. Will make again and experiment. Thanks. Love your Blog."
😊 Why You’ll Like This Grilled Pork Chops Recipe
- Beginner-friendly: Clear, step-by-step instructions—no guesswork.
- Juicy every time: Tender, never dry, with simple temperature and timing tips.
- Quick and flexible: Boneless or bone-in, thick or thin, gas or charcoal grill—perfect in 30 minutes.
- No weird ingredients: Pantry basics, real results.
- Healthy: Fits most diets—low-calorie, low-fat, and low-carb.
🔥 What You Need
Pork chops—¾ to 1½ inches thick (1-inch preferred); boneless or bone-in
Seasoning—Salt, black pepper, garlic powder
Optional brine—salt, brown sugar, garlic powder
Optional seasonings—paprika, seasoning salt, BBQ rub, BBQ sauce, other seasonings
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Grill Pork Chops
1. Preparation: Trim fat; brine for extra moisture, if desired.
2. Season: Use salt, pepper, and garlic powder—or your favorite mix.
3. Grill: Preheat grill to 450°F. Grill 12–14 minutes total, flipping every 4 minutes, to 145°F internal temperature.
4. Rest: Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
For detailed step-by-step photos and timing charts, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips and flavor options.
⏰ How Long to Grill Pork Chops (by Thickness)
Grilling time depends on thickness. Thin chops cook fast and dry out easily, while thicker ones take longer to reach 145°F. Use the times below as a guide—always confirm for your ideal doneness with a thermometer.
Approximate grilling time by thickness to 145° on a 450° grill
- ½ inch thick: 5-6 minutes (not recommended)
- ¾ inch thick: 9-11 minutes
- 1-inch thick: 12-14 minutes
- 1½ inch thick: 18-20 minutes
A bone-in chop may take a bit longer than a boneless chop.
🔥 Pro Tip: Always go by internal temperature, not just the clock. Use an instant-read thermometer for perfect results.
🌡️ Pork Chop Doneness (Temperature Guide)
The USDA says pork is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. That’s the quick answer, but doneness is also about preference—some like it pink and juicy at 145°F, while others want it closer to 160°F.
Internal Temperatures for Pork Chops
- Medium-Rare: 145°–150°F (juicy, still pink — recommended)
- Medium: 150°–155°F
- Medium-Well: 155°–160°F
- Well Done: 160°F+ (safe but tends to dry out)
✅ Pro Tip: Pull chops off the grill a few degrees early and let them rest—carryover heat usually brings them right into the safe zone.
👨🍳 Grilling Thick Pork Chops (1½ to 2 Inches)
- Follow the preparation instructions for trimming, optional brining, and seasoning.
- Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
- Preheat the grill to 350° to 400° surface temperature.
- Grill the chops, flipping every 5 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°—about 20-25 minutes, but it's variable.
- Remove and tent for 5 minutes before serving.
Chops thicker than 2 inches may require either reverse searing or part of the time over indirect heat.
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🧂 Seasoning and BBQ Options
IIf not brining, a simple mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder works well. For added flavor, consider seasoning salt, Montreal seasoning, paprika, or your favorite herbs and spices.
👍 Pro Seasoning Tip: My go-to is seasoning salt with added pepper.
🔥 BBQ option
Want BBQ chops instead? Use a light rub like my BBQ Dry Rub for Pork or Memphis Dry Rub. Brush on your favorite sauce (or my Memphis BBQ Sauce) in the last 5 minutes of grilling, and again right before removing from the heat.
♨️ Grill Setup and Tips
- Temperature: Aim for about 450°F surface heat—medium-high on most gas grills.
- Gas grills: Convenient and easy to control; perfect for consistent results.
- Charcoal grills: Great flavor and sear, but needs more vent control to stay steady.
- Other grills: Pellet or electric? No problem—just hit that same 450°F target.
If you’re unsure about temperatures, see my Guide to Grill Temperature.
🐖 Buying, Prepping, and Brining Pork Chops
Choose center-cut loin chops, about 1 inch thick—boneless or bone-in both work great.
- Boneless: Cooks faster and evenly; perfect for weeknights.
- Bone-in: Slightly more flavor, but takes a few extra minutes to finish.
- Thinner chops (¾ inch): Cook quickly and dry out faster—watch closely.
- Fat rim: Trim to ¼ inch and score every inch to prevent curling and flare-ups.
💧 Optional Brine (Extra Juiciness):
For extra moisture and flavor—especially if the chops were previously frozen—a quick brine helps keep them juicy and tender.
- Mix 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder if you like.
- Brine chops 1–2 hours in the fridge.
- Rinse and pat dry before seasoning, but avoid adding more salt afterward.
🐖 Pork Chop Recipes without a grill
Try this other popular recipes:
Pan Sear and Bake Thick Pork Chops
Learn how to cook thick pork chops with a sear and bake method or on the grill. Use 1 ½ to 2-inch chops seasoned to your taste.
🍽️ How to Serve
Grilled pork chops go with just about anything, but here are some favorites:
Hot sides: Try Grilled Mixed Vegetables, Grilled Asparagus, or Grilled Baby Potatoes for an all-grill meal.
Cold sides: Potato Salad, Broccoli Salad, or Macaroni Salad are classics for summer dinners.
Dessert: Finish with Grilled Pineapple and a scoop of ice cream—or keep it simple with fresh fruit.
❄️ How to store and reheat leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 4 months.
- Reheat: Microwave or warm in a skillet until heated through.
❓ FAQs
The USDA recommends cooking pork chops to 145°F with a 3-minute rest. That’s the safe number, but many prefer pulling them off the grill a couple of degrees early—carryover heat usually finishes the job. Pink fades around 155°F, but juicy chops are best at 145°F.
Since pork chops are lean, they dry out quickly if overcooked. Brining helps, especially if the chops were previously frozen. Grill at medium-high heat (about 450°F), pull them at 140°F, and rest for 5 minutes—the temp will rise to 145°F. This keeps them juicy every time.
Trimming the fat rim prevents curling on the grill and reduces flare-ups. Leave about ¼-inch of fat, then score it every inch down to the meat. This helps the chops cook evenly and stay flat on the grill.
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Pork Chops (Juicy, Quick & Easy)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops-boneless or bone-in - one inch thick
- kosher salt - only add if not brining
- black pepper - to taste
- garlic powder - suggested
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 tablespoon table salt - more of using kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar - optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - optional
- seasoning salt - if not brining
- paprika
- BBQ Sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep
- Start with the pork chops of your choice, but I suggest 1-inch thick center-cut chops with or without bones.
- If you leave a layer of fat on the edge, score it every inch to prevent cupping. I trim it back if it is over ¼ inch.
- Optional: Mix brine in a 1-gallon zip lock of 2 cups cold water, 1 tablespoon table salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional). Mix well and submerge the pork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Season
- Pat dry and season to taste, usually with seasoning salt and black pepper. Other optional seasonings can be used if desired. But remember not to add any seasoning with salt if you did brine.
Grill
- When ready to cook, clean the grates and preheat the grill to medium-high temperature (450°-500° surface temperature).
- Grill with a closed lid, flipping every 4 minutes, until an internal temp of 145° is reached (about 12–14 minutes).
Rest
- Remove from the grill and rest for 5 minutes or a little more before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Brine if you have time—just rinse well and skip the salt when seasoning.
- If the fat rim is over ¼ inch, trim it back. Also, score the fat rim every 1 inch to prevent cupping.
- Cook over a medium to medium-high grill with a surface temperature of about 450°F.
- If you want BBQ sauce, brush it lightly with about 5 minutes left, then a bit more in the last 2 minutes.
- Don't overcook. 145°F internal temperature for best results. Plus, a 5-minute rest before serving for safety and reabsorbing fluid.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Publisher note: Originally published September 2, 2013. Updated with options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
John Wenck says
Great tips! Thanks! Also, great site for two-person meals. Love it!