After sharing our dinner picture with the grilled pork chops, many asked how I cook good pork chops.  Here’s how I do it.

We like thick pork chops and I’ve had good luck finding good pork in the grocery stores here.  There’s a local meat market that has really good pork chops. 

On the morning of the day I’m going to grill pork chops, I take them out of the fridge, rinse them off, and season them well on both sides.  I do not use salt at this point.  I’ll use a little thyme or rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper – use whatever you want.  Then I put them in a zipper back and leave them in the fridge til time to cook them.

When it’s time to grill them, I build a really hot fire, just large enough for however many chops I’m cooking, and then I build a fire that’s not so hot.  You know . . just pile more charcoal in one spot than in the other.

Put the chops on the hot side and sear them on both sides.  Don’t burn them but get them really brown and this helps hold in the juices.  Then move them to the not so hot side. 

I like cooked pork to reach 145º.  Using some kind of instant read thermometer, when you think the temp might be getting close, check it.  You don’t want to poke any more holes in the meat than you have to . . this allows juices to drain out.  When the temp of my meat reaches about 140 or 142, I take it off the heat, wrap it in heavy duty foil and bring them inside to sit for about 8 – 10 minutes.  The meat will continue cooking and should easily reach 145º.  Check it to be sure.  Allowing the meat to sit for a few minutes causes the juices to stop draining so that when you cut into the chops, all the juices don’t drain out but stay within the meat.

Once you serve the meat, each person can add their own salt if needed.

Yum!  Can hardly wait for dinner.  Wish we were having pork chops tonight!