Fire up the grill for this luscious marinated grilled pork chops recipe topped with a tangy, mustard-based bbq sauce that is hugely popular in South Carolina. A summertime must!
Grilling season is here, my friends. Can you smell it? The smokers wafting in the back yards, the grills firing up, the burgers and chops sizzling on the grates. I dream of this stuff and now that we're here, I'm smashing through the week with a simple and old favorite - The Pork Chop.
Dang! I love a good pork chop. Especially bone-in pork chops, which I'm using here.
My mother used to fry up pork chops in a skillet with nothing but a bit of oil, salt and pepper. I always loved them as a kid and took that love with me into adulthood. I prepare them differently, but they still deliver all the flavor you can toss at them.
Today we're throwing MUSTARD at them. Mustard and pork are best buds. I'm using it in both the marinade AND in one of my favorite sauces, Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, which uses mustard as a base.
Mustard-based barbecue sauce is tied back to the Germans who populated South Carolina in the 1700s. Germans are fond of their mustards, which accounts for its early introduction, but its overall flavor is the reason for its enduring popularity.
Let's walk through the recipe, shall we?
Grilled Pork Chop Ingredients Needed
- 4 1- inch thick pork chops I used center cut pork loin chops
- FOR THE MARINADE
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
- FOR THE CAROLINA BBQ SAUCE
- ¾ cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (and black pepper, if desired)
- Dash of hot sauce
Grilled Pork Chops with South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce - the Recipe Method
Make the Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce. Whisk together yellow mustard with honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and a bit of hot sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate. Done! Easy, right?
No cooking there, just a bit of whisking. Looks pretty, right?
You CAN simmer the sauce a bit to let the flavors develop a bit, like I did with my original bbq sauce recipe, but it's perfectly fine without cooking.
Make the Marinade. Whisk together yellow mustard with white wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne (and/or red pepper flakes) and a bit chopped cilantro in a large bowl.
Marinate the Pork Chops. Smother the pork chops with the marinade and let it marinate a couple hours in the fridge. You can go longer if you'd like for thicker cuts of meat. The marinade will tenderize the meat a bit and will infuse the chops with flavor. If you're in a hurry, you can marinade for 30 minutes, though the flavors won't penetrate the meat as deeply.
Grill the Pork Chops. Fire up the outdoor grill to medium high heat and lightly oil the grates with a bit of olive oil. Set the pork chops on the grill and grill them a couple minutes with the lid closed to keep the heat inside.
Flip and cook another minute or 2 to get a nice sear on the other side. You should only need a couple minutes per side for the pork chops to get that nice sear.
Reduce the Heat and Finish. Reduce the heat to medium heat (or, if using charcoal, move the chops to less direct heat) and mop a bit of the barbecue sauce over the chops.
Continue to grill another couple minutes, adding more sauce if you’d like, until the internal temperature of the chops reaches 145 degrees F for medium-rare, or 160 degrees F for well done. I like to use my ThermoPop meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I'm an affiliate). Works great!
Check here for a good pork temperature chart.
Finally, remove the chops and let them rest a few minutes before serving. Top with warmed South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce and serve.
Finish them off with extra Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce and you're good to go! In heaven! Pork chop heaven, that is.
Serve with a potato side, like this dish - Smoked Potato-Avocado Potato Salad. Ahh, I can smell the summer here already. I hope you enjoy them!
Try Some of My Other Popular Summer Grilling Recipes
- Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings
- Crispy Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings
- Grilled Shrimp Po' Boys
- Chicago Style Hot Dog (Char Dog!)
- Grilled Harissa Chicken
- Grilled Salmon with Honey-Sriracha Sauce
- Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Gochujang Glaze
- Zingy Pork Chop Marinade
- Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Don't forget your ThermoPop meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I"m an affiliate)!
Grilled Pork Chops Recipe with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 1-inch thick pork chops I used center cut pork loin chops
FOR THE MARINADE
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
FOR THE CAROLINA BBQ SAUCE
- ¾ cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dash of hot sauce
Instructions
- Prepare your South Carolina Barbecue Sauce first by whisking all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a jar and cover. Refrigerate at least one day to let the flavors mingle.
- Next, whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
- Add pork chops to a wide flat dish and smother them with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
- Add the pork chops to the grill and cover. Grill for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the pork chops and grill another 1-2 minutes. Get those nice grill marks!
- Reduce the heat to medium-low (or, if using charcoal, move the chops to less direct heat) and mop a bit of the barbecue sauce over the chops.
- Continue to grill another couple minutes, adding more sauce if you’d like, until the internal temp of the chops are at least 145 degrees F.
- Remove the chops and let rest a few minutes before serving. Top with warmed Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
I hope you enjoy them! Let me know how yours turn out. Have fun!
This recipe was updated on 6/18/19 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 5/22/17.
