Kick off the summer grilling season with these perfectly marinated bone-in pork chops. They’re infused with bright and zesty flavors like lemon, parsley and Italian seasoning, plus a touch of brown sugar for sweetness. This marinade works great for a quick 1 to 2 hour dip, or leave it overnight for maximum flavor. The pork chops cook beautifully on the grill in under 15 minutes.
My family loves dining outdoors during the warmer months and grilling is is a must. We grill almost everything from whole fish, chicken thighs, steaks, hamburgers and so much more.
I love how simple this homemade marinade recipe is, and it delivers BIG flavor! You won’t have to shop around for hard to find ingredients, this marinade is made with pantry staples and will be your go-to recipe all summer long. I like using bone-in pork as it tends to have a bit more fat and connective tissue for more flavor, and the bone helps keep the pork moist when grilling.
Serve it with this easy rice cooker turmeric rice for a quick weeknight meal, or for your next weekend barbecue!
Ingredients & Notes
Pork chops – I used bone-in chops, ¾ inch thickness, which cooks up quicker. But feel free to use thicker cut chops (just make sure to marinate them longer, and they’ll take a bit more time to cook).
Marinade-Lemon, garlic, parsley, soy sauce (adds both salt AND umami flavor), Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, ground pepper and oil.
Instructions
Add all of the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
Place the pork chops into a ziplock bag, pour the marinade in and mix well, coating each pork chop. Marinade for up to 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
Grill for about 6 minutes each side, or until the chops reach 145 Fahrenheit in the thickest part.
Rest for at least 8 minutes before serving with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
Pro Tips
- Place the bag in a bowl or on a plate, (as the bones may puncture the bag), and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
- To get those nice, charred grill marks and better caramelization, make sure to preheat your grill to at least 400 Fahrenheit, and shake off the excess marinade before placing the chops on the grill.
- If you’re in a rush, 1 hour of marinating will still work well.
- For a boost of flavor, set aside a few tablespoons of the marinade before you add to the pork. Once you’ve grilled the chops, warm up the reserved marinade and drizzle the sauce on top of the pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to cook grilled pork chops?
The best way to keep pork chops moist is to not overcook them. Make sure to place them on a grill preheated to at least 400 Fahrenheit, heat set to medium-high, and only turn the pork once. A ½” thick chop takes about 5 minutes per side to reach medium doneness. A ¾” thick chop takes about 6 minutes per side. And for a 1” thick chop, cook for about 7 to 8 minutes per side.
The pork chops should reach at least 145 Fahrenheit in the thickest part, which will be cooked medium.
How long should I marinate pork chops?
You can marinate the chops for as little as an hour, but the flavor will be mild. I recommend at least 3 hours to let the marinade do its thing and add all that zesty umami flavor.
Preheat the grill to at least 400 Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too high, it’ll burn the outside while the inside is undercooked. If the temp is too low, you won’t get a nice char and caramelization on the chops.
What to serve with grilled pork
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Grilled Bone In Pork Chops with Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, bone in ¾ inch thick
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ lemon juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Place the pork chops into a resealable bag.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic and pepper.
- Pour the marinade over the pork chops in the plastic bag, making sure it evenly coats each piece of meat.
- Seal and place the bag in a large bowl (as the bones may puncture the bag) in the refrigetor for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- To grill, preheat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, on medium high heat. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side. (See notes below for grill time for thicker cuts)
- Let rest for at least 8 minutes before serving.
Notes
- A ½” thick chop takes about 5 minutes per side to reach medium doneness. A ¾” thick chop takes about 6 minutes per side. And for a 1” thick chop, cook for about 7 to 8 minutes per side.
- Only turn the pork once for nice grill marks.
- The pork chops should reach at least 145 Fahrenheit in the thickest part, which will be cooked medium.
- For a boost of flavor, set aside a few tablespoons of the marinade before you add to the pork. Once you’ve grilled the chops, warm up the reserved marinade and drizzle the sauce on top of the pork.