Tips for Grilling Thick Pork Chops

Before you get your pitmaster swagger on, you’ll want to make sure you smoke your juicy grilled pork chops to perfection. Follow a few simple hacks to ensure your thick-cut chops become the talk of your next party:

• Buy similar chops: When you choose your pork chops, do yourself a favor and pick ones that are relatively the same thickness. That way, they’ll all be done at about the same time.
• Fear no fat: You can almost always find pork chops that have all the fat removed. But sometimes a little fat can add some moistness and flavor. Test out super-lean and fattier cuts of thick chops to figure out which you prefer.
• Keep it clean: Thinking of firing up your smoker? Whoa there. Never toss a chop on the grill before you clean everything. That way, your meat will have a delectable flavor, rather than pick up any lingering tastes from last night’s brisket.
• Use the thermometer: Even if you consider yourself an expert griller, always trust your meat thermometer. Don’t rely on your gut instinct to determine when your juicy grilled pork chops have thoroughly cooked.
• Consider bone-in varieties: To mix it up, make this recipe with bone-in chops. And be sure to vary your spices and rubs. Each pork chop can even have its own seasoning.

Side Dishes for Simple Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops

Searching for some culinary partners for your grilled, boneless pork chops? Try some of these palate-pleasing dishes:

• Baked beans: Bonus points if your beans are homemade or created in your smoker. Experiment with different types of beans to elicit different textures from your final product.
• Green beans: Speaking of beans, you can always go for the green. Stir fry, sauté or steam your green beans. All they need is a drizzle of melted, salted, creamy butter to boost their natural goodness.
• Smashed red, white and blue potatoes: Grab a bag of small multi-hued potatoes and boil them until they are tender. Then, smash them with some whole milk, butter and a touch of salt. You never tasted anything so good!
• Homemade bread: What could be tastier than a big slab of homemade white or wheat bread fresh from the oven? While your pork chops are doing their thing in the smoker, you could be baking a hearty loaf.
• Applesauce: Yes, Peter Brady had it right: pork chops and applesauce definitely go together. See how many baby boomers get the joke when you serve up sweet and tangy applesauce alongside your juicy grilled pork chops.

Drooling over the possibilities? Even if you never knew how to grill boneless pork chops before, this recipe gives you all the inside details. In no time flat, you’ll be confidently plating some of the finest thick-cut pork chops your family has ever seen.