Juicy Grilled Pork Chops! With Grilled Parmesan Asparagus
Howdy folks, and thanks for stopping by the website! In this week’s episode, we decided to cook two thick cut pork chops using two different methods. Y’all decide which ones you like best. If you try them both, please let us know which you liked better!
Three Things People Usually Get Wrong When Cooking Pork Chops
- Buying the wrong cut. So many people buy the very thin pork chops to save money – but all you end up with is a see through pork chop!
- Throwing them directly on the grill. Cook pork chops over indirect heat (away from the flame) until they’re mostly done, then flame broil the meat. Or, wrap the pork chops tightly in foil so they’ll steam and hold their moisture.
- Over cooking! Pork chops must be cooked thoroughly to avoid bacteria-borne illness, but many people take it too far and cook until the pork chop is as tender as a horse shoe. Cook to 145-150 and rest until the temperature comes up to 160. This will kill all the dangerous bacteria without ruining the flavor.
Prepare the Pork Chops
Start by tenderizing the pork chops with lime juice. Season all over with Original Seasoning or salt and pepper. People usually under season their meat, so use a little more than you usually would.
Tip #1: Use lime juice to tenderize the meat. The acid from the lime juice will break down the connective tissue and naturally tenderize pork chop.
Tip #2: There should be a ring of fat around the edge of the pork chop. Score that fat with a sharp knife to prevent the meat from curling up during the cooking process.
Pork Chops on the Grill
The first pork chop we cooked was on a grill, using indirect heat. You can do this on any grill by lighting the hardwood lump charcoal all the way over on one side. Place the pork chop on the side without the fire and tightly close the lid. When the pork chop is about 145 in the center, move it right over the fire until it’s 160 in the center. This will cook the pork chop through, sear the outside, and stay moist and tender.
Mix together the honey garlic sauce (see printable recipe below) and baste the pork chop several times while grilling over the fire. When you serve the pork, top with the remaining sauce.
Pork Chops on the Smoker
Smoking the pork chop can dry it out because it takes a long time. To avoid this, put a nice pat of butter on top of the pork chop and wrap tightly in tin foil. This will create a steaming effect and the pork chop will be tender and delicious.
Mix the sauce up while the pork smokes. When the internal temperature is around 140, take off the tin foil and baste with the fig sauce. Cook directly on the grill until the internal temperature reaches 150. Then, wrap the pork chop again with tin foil and remove from heat until the internal temperature reaches 160.
BONUS Recipe: Parmesan Garlic Asparagus
Don’t let anyone tell you that Cowboy Kent doesn’t eat his vegetables! When asparagus goes on sale at the grocery store, it’s a great vegetable to serve with pork chops.
Slice the ends of the asparagus (the end where it was cut from the ground) off and toss the spears in some olive oil. Place on the grill until slightly charred and tender.
Tip: Asparagus often gets brighter green when it’s cooking – when it looks bright green and has some good char on it, it’s done!
Mix the butter, garlic, and parmesan in a saucepan and stir until melted. Drizzle over the finished asparagus and dig in. Delicious!
As always, Shannon and I would like to thank you for watching our videos and sharing our food. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook for the latest news and events!
Smoked Pork Chop with Honey Garlic Glaze - Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 2 16 to 18 oz bone-in center cut pork chops
- 2 limes
- Kent’s Original Seasoning or salt and pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Generously rub lime juice on both sides of the pork chops. Season both sides well with the Original seasoning, salt and pepper, or your favorite all-purpose seasoning.
- Let the chops set on the counter for at about 30 minutes, to warm up.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F. I like to add some apple and mesquite wood chunks to the smoker.
- Place the pork chops on the smoker and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 140 to 145 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients in the honey garlic sauce in a small bowl.
- Remove from the smoker and place on a hot grill and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until the internal temperature is about 160 degrees F. While grilling, baste each side of the chops a few times with the honey garlic sauce.
- Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Top with additional sauce and serve.
Grilled Pork Chop with Fig Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 16 to 18 oz bone-in center cut pork chops
- 2 limes
- Kent’s Original seasoning or salt and pepper
Fig Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup fig preserves
- 4 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Generously rub lime juice on both sides of the pork chops. Season both sides well with the Original seasoning, salt and pepper, or your favorite all-purpose seasoning.
- Let the chops set on the counter for at about 30 minutes, to warm up.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the fig sauce in a small bowl.
- Place 1 pork chop in the center of a sheet of tinfoil. Top with 1 tablespoon of butter and wrap the pork chop up with the foil. Repeat with the other chop.
- Place the chops directly over a hot grill and let cook about 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until the internal temperature is about 135 to 140 degrees F.
- Remove the tinfoil and place the chops back on the grill and grill about 4 to 5 minutes each side, or until the internal temperature is 150 degrees F. While grilling, baste the chops a few times on each side with the fig sauce.
- Remove the chops from the grill and loosely cover with tinfoil for 5 to 10 minutes, to allow the internal temperature to rise to about 160 degrees F.
- Top with additional sauce and serve.
Parmesan Garlic Asparagus - Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- ¾ stick unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 bundle fresh asparagus
- Olive oil for coating
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic and Parmesan cheese. Set aside in a warm spot.
- Cut the ends of the asparagus and toss in olive oil to coat.
- Place the asparagus on a medium-hot grill and cook until lightly charred, rotating occasionally.
- Remove from the grill and pour the butter sauce over the asparagus. Top with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.