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Tender and juicy Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops are a must-make recipe for summer grilling!
Grilling season is finally here and we’re taking full advantage of cooking outdoors with delicious meals like these Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops!
We started with that homemade Ponzu Sauce recipe from earlier this week and mixed it with fresh garlic and ginger to create a simple, flavorful marinade for the pork chops.
We chose thick, boneless center cut pork chops in this Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops recipe – a lean cut of pork that really benefits from the marinating process. Not only does our ponzu sauce marinade lend a delicious and citrusy flavor to the grilled pork chops, but it also serves as a brine – resulting in juicy, tender grilled pork chops.
How long should you cook pork chops on the grill?
The thickness of the pork chops you choose for this Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops recipe is really going to determine how long they take to cook. For grilling, we recommend buying chops that are at least an inch thick – and ours were actually a little thicker than that. Very thin chops will cook too quickly on the grill and become tough.
You also want to avoid cooking your pork chops over super high heat. Once you’ve gotten the initial sear on your Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops, move the chops to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking in order to maintain maximum juiciness.
Although we share general cook times per side in the recipe below, we recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check on the level of doneness. (It’s a great kitchen tool that everyone should have!) The current USDA recommended internal temperature for whole cuts of pork (like pork chops) is now 145°F with a 3-minute rest after cooking. (You will see the temperature of the pork rise further.)
Jack and I like serving grilled orange and lemon halves with these Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops. You can squeeze the lemon juice over the pork chops before serving, and you can eat the grilled oranges!
You may also like:
- Homemade Ponzu Sauce
- Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops
- Perfect Pork Chops
- Crispy Apple Crusted Pork Chops
- Guinness Barbecued Pork Tips
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Ponzu Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 cups Ponzu Sauce, see recipe here
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
4 large boneless pork chops, at least 1-inch thick (ours were a little over a half pound each)
1 whole lemon, cut in half on the horizon
1 whole orange or 2 tangerines, cut in half on the horizon
Vegetable oil for grilling
Instructions
Mix the ponzu sauce with garlic and ginger and place in a gallon zip lock bag along with the four pork chops. Marinate overnight but no longer than 12 hours.
Discard marinade and pat pork chops dry.
Heat one side of the grill to high and the other side to low.
Brush citrus halves and grill for a few minutes for color.
Brush pork chops with oil and place oiled side down on the hot side of the grill. Brush the tops with oil.
Grill for 2 minutes and turn one quarter turn to get the cross-hatch marks and cook for one more minute.
Flip and move to cool side of the grill and close cover and cook until the desired temperature (145 degrees F), up to 4-5 minutes. If using a grill pan, lower heat to low, flip and cook until done. We like our pork a little pink but cook until they reach your desired doneness.
Serve with the grilled citrus.
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