Grilled Pork Chops

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These grilled pork chops are tender and full of flavor thanks to a simple spiced brine and a bright lemon-oregano drizzle. Time to brine and 12 minutes on the grill deliver big Mediterranean flavor with minimal effort.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Brining time3

Total Time3 35

Course: Dinner, Entree

Cuisine: American/Mediterranean

Servings:

Author: Ruth Bardis

Ingredients

For the Chops and Brine

6 cups water
kosher salt (84g) (see note)
1/2 cup brown sugar (70g)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large orange, sliced
4 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
20 whole peppercorns
5 bay leaves
4 1 1/2-inch thick bone-in pork chops (approximately 1 3/4 pounds)
Extra virgin olive oil

For the Ladorigano Sauce

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons Greek oregano

Instructions

Prepare the brine. Combine the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic cloves, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow the brine to simmer gently, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve fully.
Cool the brine. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Cool it by placing the saucepan in an ice bath or cover the saucepan and place it in the refrigerator until it reaches room temperature, which may take about an hour.
Brine the pork chops. Once the brine has cooled completely, immerse pork chops in the brine solution, ensuring the meat is fully submerged.Cover the saucepan with a lid or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then place it in the refrigerator. Allow the pork to brine for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. About 3 to 4 hours is ideal.
Prepare for grilling. Light your coals or preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F).
If using gas, place one set of burners on high and another on medium-low.
If using a charcoal grill, bank hot coals on one side of the grill, so you have two zones; one for direct and one for indirect cooking.
Ensure the grill grates are clean to prevent sticking. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat each chop dry. Drizzle the pork chops with extra virgin olive oil on both sides.
Grill the pork chops. Place the pork chops on the grill.
On a gas grill, close the lid and let them cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on one side. Open the grill, flip the chops, and continue grilling for another 5 to 6 minutes on the other side.
On a charcoal grill, place the pork chops directly above the coals and sear on both sides. Then, move them to the indirect heat side of the grill (not directly over the hot coals) and cover. The indirect heat will cook the chops without burning them.
Grill until the chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes total.
Rest the chops. Once cooked, remove the pork chops from the grill and set aside. Let them rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Prepare the Ladorigano Sauce. While the pork chops are resting combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and dried oregano in a small bowl. Whisk the mixture until it's well blended and emulsified.
Dress and serve. Drizzle the Ladorigano over the rested pork chops just before serving.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and oregano used in this recipe.
On Kosher Salt: The two most widely available brands of kosher salt in North America are Morton which has a coarse texture (and weighs 16 grams per tablespoon) and Diamond Crystal, which is finer and flakier (and weighs about 8 grams per tablespoon). I recommend using 84 grams of salt in this volume of brine, which is about 5 tablespoons Morton and about 10 tablespoons Diamond Crystal.
Storage: If you have leftover grilled pork chops, let them cool completely, then store them and the ladorigano sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. They’ll keep well for up to 4 days. To reheat, gently warm them in a skillet with a splash of water to keep them juicy—just avoid the microwave if you can, so they don’t dry out! Let the sauce return to room temperature and shake or whisk it to recombine it before serving.

Nutrition

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