Pork chops!
Just thinking of them makes my stomach growl.
However, as good as pork chops are, a dry pork chop can literally ruin your day. To overcome my anguish of dry pork chops I’ve tried almost every method of cooking them.
Now, It’s safe to say that I know a thing or two regarding grilling pork chops the right way.
So exactly how should you grill big green egg pork chops direct or indirect?
Between direct and indirect grilling processes, choose the direct method for grilling pork chops. As pork chops are thinner pieces, it needs a faster grilling method with direct heat contact. Also to get that well-defined smokiness, pork chops should be grilled directly in the big green egg.
Want to know all the details? Dive in!
Source: grillandprovisions.com
Quick Comparison Between the Two Methods of Cooking
At this point, we know how versatile the big green egg is. You can almost cook anything here. However, the top two features of the big green egg are direct and indirect grilling.
For direct grilling, you just have to put the pork chops on the grill.
Now, if you want to grill indirectly you need to get a heat shield or convEGGtor separately.
Here are some of the best heat shields for the big green egg. Take a look-
- The most durable big green egg conveggtor.
- The bestselling KAMaster plate setter.
You have your grill. You have your heat shield. Now, let’s take a look at the two methods of cooking. This would give you a better picture of the two processes of grilling.
Now that you have an idea, let’s see which method is right for pork chops.
Why Should You Grill Pork Chops Directly?
Pork chops tick all the boxes of direct grilling in the big green egg.
Starting with the meat, pork chops are generally less than 2 inches thick. Tender meats like pork chops require a hot and fast grilling method. That’s why it’s the perfect candidate for direct grilling.
Source: slenderkitchen.com
Now, the key feature of a pork chop is a crisp exterior and succulent interior. By grilling them at a heat of 230-240 degrees Celsius you’ll lock in all the juices. Thus, it’ll make your pork chops juicy. So, grilling at high heat will prevent pork chops from drying out.
You’ll see that the juices from the meat sizzle and fall on the hot coal. Consequently, smoke evaporates and engulfs the whole meat. This adds the distinct smokey flavor that we desperately crave in pork chops.
Some people find ways to remove these smoky flavors whereas others prefer smokiness. So it boils down to your preference.
In addition to all of this getting the right coal for the big green egg is important. Because not all coals can add that distinct smoky flavor to pork chops.
Why Shouldn’t You Grill Pork Chops Indirectly?
Now you may ask, what’s the exact problem with grilling pork chops indirectly?
To that, I’ll ask a question back. Do you want your pork chops to have a crisp sear? If it’s a yes then you can’t get that through indirect grilling.
Indirect grilling is a form of roasting. Here the meat is slowly cooked without direct contact with the fire.
The heat shield in indirect grilling covers the meat from being in direct contact with the heat. And the food is grilled by the heat circulating in the dome.
Source: nibblemethis.com
You see, indirect grilling is particularly used to grill large cuts of meat. Because these meats take a long time to cook. Hence they are grilled indirectly.
On the other hand, pork chops are relatively thinner cuts of meat. They tend to be quite tender as well.
Unless you want your pork chop to disintegrate as soon as you pick it up, avoid grilling them indirectly.
That’s why pork chops in green egg should be grilled directly.
Grilling Pork Chops the Right Way
By this point, you already know that you should be grilling pork chops directly. To clear all of your further confusion I’m providing you with a foolproof recipe.
I’ve found this method to work well while cooking pork chops in the big green egg.
Step 1: Soaking the Meat in Brine
The most essential step to grilling pork chops in the big green egg is soaking the meat in brine.
You can also use a dry rub for pork chops. However, brine adds more flavor to the meat and keeps it from drying out on the grill.
Whipping up a quick brine for pork chops includes some spices and water. The complete list of ingredients is:
- I personally prefer the Diamond Crystal kosher salt to season all of my steaks.
- The whole Peppercorns from Soeos takes your pork chops to a whole another level.
- These cloves from Ceylon Flavours are perfect for adding that extra seasoning to your pork chops.
- You should absolutely get the Golden Barrel molasses to make your pork chops stand out.
Soak the meat in this brine concoction for at least 8 hours to ideally overnight in the fridge. This would make sure that all the seasonings penetrate the meat.
Step 2: Grilling the Pork Chops
Set up the big green egg for direct grilling at 232 degrees celsius.
Now remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry. Proceed to put them on the grill. The total pork chops grill time is 8-12 minutes depending on the cut size.
Make sure to always check the temperature and the time. The last thing you want is your smoked meat turning black.
Also, don’t forget to baste the meat occasionally with garlic butter.
Once you see even grill marks on the meat turn them to the other side. Cook for around 4 more minutes on the other side and move them to a wire rack. Not all wire racks are suitable for resting pork chops.
Here are some of the wire racks I use for resting pork chops:
- The tried and tested best selling Checkered chef cooling rack.
- Best value for money P&p cooling rack.
After moving them on the wire rack allow the pork chops to rest for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: Serving Freshly Cooked Pork Chops
Now that the meat is off the grill you need some pork chops side dish.
Source: taste.com.au
You can serve the pork chops with a variety of things. Pork chops and rice pair nicely with each other. But my personal favourite is pork chops with mushroom.
One other famous combination is pork chops sauerkraut. Sauerkraut works shockingly well with pork chops.
So, this is the baseline recipe that you can follow to cook your pork chops perfectly. You can add or customize the seasonings according to your preferences.
I’ve also found another amazing recipe on youtube. You can follow this as well if you want to experiment a bit more with your pork chops.
FAQs
How can you prevent pork chops from drying out?
Marinating in brine will prevent pork chops from drying out. Also, make sure to cook pork chops in high heat so that it retains the juice present in the meat.
What should be the internal temperature of the cooked pork chops?
The safest temperature for cooked pork chops is 145° Fahrenheit. You can check the temperature using a digital cooking thermometer.
At what temperature should pork chops be grilled?
Pork chops are generally grilled at a high temperature. Ideally, pork chops grill temp should be around 350° to 450° Fahrenheit.
Final Verdict
Only a few things in this world are as delicious as perfectly cooked pork chops. So the last thing you want is for them to either burn or remain dry. As pork chops are lean cuts of meat, make sure to never keep it longer than 12 minutes on the grill.
I hope all of your queries regarding how to grill in big green egg pork chops direct or indirect have been answered.
Until next time. Happy Grilling!
