Grilled Pork Chops with Dry Spice Rub

These grilled pork chops rubbed with a tasty dry spice mix make a quick and delicious barbecue dinner. The rub is made with pantry staples that can be quickly assembled. It’s so tasty, you may want to double or triple it and use it on everything including chicken, ribs, roasted cauliflower or even roasted chickpeas.  A little cayenne pepper gives these grilled pork chops a touch of heat while the paprika and chili powder give them a gorgeous bronze color. 

grilled pork chops
Boneless chops with dry rub – don’t walk away, they grill up real quick!

Great Sides for Grilled Pork Chops: Grilled Asparagus, Grilled zucchini with Italian Seasoning, Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Savoury Fruit Salsa

grilled spice rubbed pork chop with asparagus
Grilled pork chop with asparagus and sweet potatoes – one of our favourite early summer meals.

What is a Dry Rub and How to Use a Dry Rub

A dry rub is a blend of salt, sugar, spice and savory herbs. Each component plays a vital role.

The sugar helps browning and crust formation.

The spices add flavor and color. The cayenne adds a little kick and the oregano adds interest.

The salt helps flavor penetrate into the meat. The tricky thing about salt and meat is that initially salt will cause moisture in meat to draw to the surface, which may make it dry and tough, but leave salt on long enough and the moisture will reabsorb and take the rub flavors with it. Chef J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats did extensive testing on steak and declared salt should be left on at least 40 minutes or longer or should be added right before cooking for best moisture retention. While his tests were on beef, I’ve applied his principles to pork chops and recommend the rub should be rubbed on 30-40 minutes before grilling while the meat rests and warms on the counter.

A rub should be “rubbed” into the meat, not just sprinkled on top. You want the sharp edges of the sugar, salt and spice crystals to tear into the meat fibers.

grilled pork chops with spice rub
Rub the spice mix into the meat. A bone in chop will be nice and juicy

Tips for Juicy, Flavorful Grilled Pork Chops

  • Choose pork chops that are at least 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Fast fry or thin pork chops cook so quickly on the BBQ that the inside is finished before you have a nice crust or color on the outside. By getting thicker chops, you have better control on cooking both the outside and inside perfectly.
  • Bone-in pork chops and those with more marbling throughout will always be juicier.
  • When using thick chops, try using a two-zone grilling method: Create two heat zones on your grill—one with direct heat and one with indirect heat. Sear the pork chops over high heat on the direct heat zone to develop a nice crust, and then move them to the indirect heat zone to finish cooking more gently. If all you can get are thin chops, the grilling time will be so short, this two zone approach isn’t necessary.
  • Watch carefully to avoid overcooking chops. Cook until juices run clear or the chops feel firm but still have a little give. For a sure bet, use a meat thermometer and cook until chops reach an internal temp of 145°F/63°C according to the USA or 155°F/68°C according to Canada. The US lowered the temperature standard in 2011 while Canada did not. The USDA also recommends a three minute resting time where the temp continues to rise. You decide!
  • Rest the chops. After removing the pork chops from the grill, cover and rest the chops for about 5 minutes before serving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and juicy chop.
grilled pork chops
Cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes.

Recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Dry Spice Rub

Print Recipe
4.63 from 8 votes

Grilled Pork Chops with Dry Spice Rub

These flavorful grilled pork chops are perfect for a weekend dinner party or quick and easy family dinner any night of the week. The rub is a perfect combo of sweet, salty, savory and spicy and is made with common pantry ingredients. For best results use thick chops.
Prep : 15 minutes
Cook : 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

Dry Spice Rub

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar

Pork

  • 4-6 pork loin chops 3/4 to 1 inch thick

Instructions

  • In small bowl combine all dry rub ingredients, mix well.
  • Generously rub and press spice mix into each pork chop.
  • Place chops in single layer and rest for 30-40 minutes at room temp.
  • Oil BBQ grates to help prevent food from sticking.
  • Preheat grill to medium high heat.
  • Grill chops for 3-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until juices run clear. Flip only once – twice max.
  • Remove from grill and tent loosely with foil for 5 minutes for maximum juiciness.

Notes

Avoid overcooking pork chops; a hint of pink in whole meat is safe. If using an instant read thermometer aim for no more than 145°F/63°C (USDA).
Bone-in pork chops work well with this recipe and are typically a little juicier than boneless.
 
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 121g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 2690mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Iron: 4mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, bbq
Keyword: BBQ, grilling, pork chop

grilled pork chops l
Bone in pork chops are great for dry rubs.

These are our tips and tricks for super tasty grilled pork chops. What are your favorite barbecuing tips? Do you use a thermometer?

I’m so excited for barbecue season. I’d love to see what you’re grilling, leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram and tag @getgettys so I can see it, like and be inspired!

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.

4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These were very good, juicy and flavourful. Yes, a little spicy, but not overly so. I’ll be making these pork chops again.

  2. We use dry rubs often but this one sounds very good we will try it on some chicken legs for dinner tonight. Thanks

    1. Hi Jeanne,

      Hope you enjoyed the rub. As written it has a little kick to it, but even my teens can handle it and love this rub.

      Hope life on the island is treating you well.

      Getty

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