I got home from vacation, and I was tired. Vacation was a lot of fun, but we kept busy - cottage vacations involve a lot of splashing around in Lake Erie. The first thing I did was unload the car. The second was grocery shopping - the refrigerator was bare. It was late in the afternoon, and three cranky kids needed dinner. (Not to mention two cranky parents.) What to do?
I went straight for the bone-in pork chops. Cooking on the bone boosts the flavor of the chops. And, believe me, modern pork needs that boost. Now, for quick grilling, I have a rule - if it won't be ready by the time the grill preheats, don't make it. That leaves fifteen minutes for the marinade to work. Fifteen minutes of marinade is not going to do it with boneless chops.
*I need an hour to brine boneless chops. And, even then, I'd rather spend that hour brining bone-in chops.
These pork chops have a Chinese flavor profile. Why? I would like to say it was all part of my master plan. But…the first thing I saw when I opened my pantry was a shaker of Szechwan pepper salt I picked up on a whim at Penzeys. Oh, well, inspiration takes many forms.
📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Pork Chops with Chinese Marinade
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Bone-in pork chops seasoned with Szechwan pepper salt, tossed in a quick soy, mirin and sesame oil marinade, and grilled over medium-high heat.
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in pork loin chops, ¾ inch thick
- Szechwan pepper salt (half salt and half ground Szechwan pepper, about ¼ teaspoon per chop)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin (or 2 tablespoons rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Season the chops: Sprinkle the pork chops lightly with the Szechwan pepper salt.
- Marinate: Put the chops in a bowl, add the soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil, and toss to coat. Let them marinate while the grill heats, tossing once or twice.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill on high for 15 minutes. Brush the grate clean, and turn the heat down to medium-high.
- Grill the chops: Lift the chops out of the marinade, letting the extra drip back into the bowl. Grill over direct medium-high heat, lid closed on a gas grill, for 3 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees, and grill 3 minutes more. Flip, and grill 3 minutes more.
- Check for doneness: The chops are done at 145°F inside. If they're not there yet, rotate 90 degrees, and cook up to 3 minutes more. Serve.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I use a Weber Summit) and an instant-read thermometer.
If you have time, marinate the chops for up to 1 ½ hours. Any longer, and they get too salty.
Szechwan pepper leaves your tongue a little numb - I like the extra dimension it adds. If that's too strange for you, use regular black pepper.
Salt and pepper chops: In a hurry? Double the salt and pepper, and skip the marinade.
Marinated and basted: Double the marinade, and set aside ½ cup before adding the pork. Baste the chops with the reserved marinade after flipping them, and again right after they come off the grill.
For more grilled pork chops, try my Grilled Pork Chops with Bourbon Brine and Baste or Grilled Thin Pork Chops, Quick Brinerated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Grilled Boneless Pork Chops, Brined and Basted
Grilled Thin Pork Chops, Quick Brinerated
Grilled Pork Chops with Bourbon Brine and Baste
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