This post may contain affiliate links.
Grilled Pork Chops that come out juicy, tender, and never dry every single time? The secret is a quick brown sugar brine. I started brining our chops a few summers ago, and it completely changed grilling night at our house; even the girls ask for seconds now. If you love our smoked kielbasa, these flavor-packed, perfectly grilled chops are about to be your go-to summer dinner.
A simple sweet and salty brine seasons the pork all the way through and keeps it incredibly moist on the grill.
Grilled Pork Chops Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 395kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Juicy and savory with a subtly sweet, well-seasoned bite
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a simple summer grill night like our grilled shrimp skewers
Quick Answer
The secret to juicy grilled pork chops is a quick brine. Dissolve brown sugar and kosher salt in water with a bay leaf, then cool it down with ice. Submerge thick bone-in pork chops and chill for up to 24 hours. Pat them dry, season with cracked black pepper, and grill over medium heat until they reach your desired doneness. The brine keeps them moist and seasoned all the way through.
Jump to:
- Grilled Pork Chops Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Grilled Pork Chops
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Grilled Pork Chops FAQs
- Other Recommended Grilling and Pork Recipes
- Brown Sugar Brined Grilled Pork Chops
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Brining keeps the pork juicy. A salt and sugar brine helps the chops hold onto moisture so they stay juicy even over the high heat of a grill.
- Brown sugar adds flavor and color. The sugar seasons the pork and helps it develop a beautiful caramelized char on the grill.
- Thick bone-in chops are best. Inch-and-a-half thick bone-in chops stay juicier and are far more forgiving than thin, boneless ones.
- Patting dry means a better sear. Drying the chops before grilling helps them get gorgeous grill marks instead of steaming on the grate.
- Medium heat prevents drying out. Grilling over steady medium heat cooks the chops through without scorching the sugary outside.
- It is mostly hands-off. The brine does all the work in the fridge; all you do is dry, season, and grill.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Juicy, tender grilled pork chops every single time, thanks to one simple brine.
- Just a handful of pantry ingredients and your grill for a fast summer dinner.
- That perfect balance of sweet, salty, and smoky char in every bite.
Key Ingredients
A great brine needs only a few pantry staples. Here is what each one does:
- Bone-in pork chops: thick, inch-and-a-half chops stay the juiciest. The bone adds flavor and helps them cook evenly.
- Brown sugar: sweetens the brine and helps the chops caramelize and char beautifully on the grill.
- Kosher salt: the heart of the brine, seasoning the pork all the way through and locking in moisture.
- Bay leaf: adds a subtle, savory aroma to the brine as it steeps.
- Ice and black pepper: ice cools the brine quickly so it is grill-ready, and cracked pepper seasons the chops before grilling.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make these grilled pork chops your own with a few easy tweaks:
- Add aromatics: toss garlic cloves, peppercorns, or fresh herbs into the brine for extra flavor.
- Make them spicy: add red pepper flakes or a sliced jalapeno to the brine.
- Glaze them: brush with BBQ sauce or a honey glaze during the last few minutes on the grill.
- No grill: sear the brined chops in a hot cast iron skillet or under the broiler instead.
- Boneless chops: these work too, just reduce the brine time and watch closely so they do not overcook.
- Apple cider brine: swap half of the water for apple cider for a fall-inspired, slightly fruity twist on the brine.
How to Make Grilled Pork Chops
- Make the brine: in a large pot, heat the water, brown sugar, kosher salt, and bay leaf until the sugar and salt fully dissolve.
- Cool it down: take the pot off the heat and stir in the ice until the brine is cool to the touch, never hot.
- Brine the chops: submerge the pork chops in the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Prep for the grill: remove the chops from the brine, pat them dry with paper towels, and season with fresh cracked black pepper.
- Grill and serve: grill over medium heat until the chops reach your desired doneness, then garnish with sliced scallions and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a fully cooled brine; never add pork to hot brine, which would start cooking it. The ice cools it fast.
- Do not brine longer than 24 hours; over-brining can make the pork mushy and too salty.
- Pat the chops very dry before grilling for the best sear and grill marks.
- Use a meat thermometer; pull the chops at 145 degrees for juicy, slightly pink centers.
- Let them rest a few minutes off the grill so the juices redistribute before serving.
- Grill over medium heat, not high, so the sugar in the brine does not burn before the inside cooks through.
- Skip extra salt when seasoning; the brine has already seasoned the pork through and through.
- Oil the grill grates well before cooking so the sugary, brined chops release cleanly and do not stick.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These grilled pork chops are a complete summer plate waiting to happen. Serve them over a bed of seasoned rice, or alongside grilled corn, a crisp green salad, and plenty of cold drinks for an easy cookout dinner.
Round out the meal with classic cookout sides. A scoop of classic potato salad, a basket of fried red potato wedges, or grilled veggies all pair beautifully with the chops.
These chops are perfect for backyard barbecues, weeknight grilling, and feeding the family. Double the brine and chops when you are hosting a crowd, and let the grill do all the work.
For an easy weeknight version, start the brine in the morning so the chops are ready to hit the grill the moment you walk in the door. Leftover grilled pork chops are also delicious sliced over a salad or tucked into a sandwich the next day, so it is always worth making a few extra.
Grilled Pork Chops FAQs
Brine pork chops for at least a few hours and up to 24 hours. The longer they sit, the more seasoned and juicy they become, but do not go past 24 hours or they can turn mushy.
Yes. Brining longer than 24 hours can break down the meat too much, making the pork chops mushy and overly salty. Stick to a 24-hour maximum for the best texture and flavor.
Bone-in chops stay the juiciest and most flavorful, but boneless pork chops work too. Just shorten the brine time slightly and watch them closely on the grill so they do not dry out.
Grill pork chops to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, then let them rest for a few minutes. They will be juicy with a slightly pink center, which is both safe and delicious.
Absolutely. Sear the brined chops in a hot cast iron skillet or under the broiler for a few minutes per side until they reach 145 degrees in the center.
Store leftover pork chops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth, or in the microwave, to keep them from drying out.
Craving more grill night recipes? Fire up our grilled shrimp skewers next.
A bright couscous salad with feta and olives is the perfect cool counterpart to these chops.
Keep the grill going with our herby flank steak chimichurri, a cilantro lime marinade that doubles as the sauce.
Want a quicker option? Our 5 minute pork chop marinade delivers juicy, flavor packed chops too.
Brown Sugar Brined Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1- quart water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups ice
- 4 each bone-in pork chops 1- 1/2 inches thick
- 2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place first four ingredients in a large pot on high heat. Heat until sugar and salt is dissolved. Take off the stove and add in the ice. Liquid should no longer be hot, but cool to the touch. Add pork chops to the liquid, cover and allow to sit in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours.1- quart water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1 bay leaf, 6 cups ice, 4 each bone-in pork chops 1- 1/2 inches thick
- Before ready to grill, take chops out of liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Season with fresh cracked black pepper. Grill over medium heat until desired doneness. Garnish with scallions, optional2 scallions
Notes
- Dissolve It – Stir that kosher salt and brown sugar till they salt dissolve—no gritty surprises!
- Cool It Quick – Add those ice cubes fast—keeps the brine solution nice and chilly.
- Pat Dry – Use paper towels to dry the piece of meat—wet chops don’t grill pretty!
- Heat Right – Grill on medium heat—no flaming disasters like my first BBQ try!
- Check the Temp – Use a meat thermometer for that 145°F internal temperature.
- Rest Easy – Let them sit after grilling—keeps the texture of the meat perfect!
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
