Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
BBQ Pork Chops
Barbecue sauce around a browned pork chop makes a very appealing dinner. The seasoned brine gives these chops a savory flavor beneath the sweet glaze, with a little herb aroma in the background. The sticky edges are worth looking forward to when the plate arrives.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Dissolve salt and sugar
Stir them into the boiling water portion until dissolved before adding aromatics and the cold water.
2. Submerge every chop
Keep the pork chops fully under the brine, adding more water if needed before covering and refrigerating.
3. Dry after brining
Pat the chops dry with paper towels after lifting them from the brine and before grilling.
Get to know the ingredients
Pork chops
Use bone-in chops for the refrigerated brine, then grill them after removing and drying.
Fennel seeds
Lightly crush the fennel seeds before adding them to the brine with allspice and peppercorns.
Thyme
Fresh thyme sprigs or the specified dried thyme alternative can flavor the brine alongside garlic and bay.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 11 steps completeMake room for BBQ Pork Chops
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Glaze, rest and serve
Brush sauce all over, cook each side briefly more, then rest the chops covered before serving.
A little more help as you go
A fridge-fitting bowl
Choose a bowl that holds all the chops and fits into the refrigerator before making the brine.
Cold water before pork
Add the very cold water to the flavored brine before placing the pork chops into the bowl.
A few questions you might have
How long does the refrigerated brine take?
Keep the covered chops in the refrigerator at least six hours and no longer than twenty-four hours.
Can I use a grill pan?
Yes, a grill pan or outdoor grill can be preheated to medium-high before cooking the chops.
Does barbecue sauce go into the brine?
Keep it for brushing over the cooked chops near the end of their grilling stage.
When does the garlic go in?
Add the crushed garlic to the initial brine with the spices and thyme before the cold water.
Should I cover the chops after grilling?
Yes, rest the finished chops covered before serving so they have the directed pause after the heat.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
