Dijon Grilled Pork Chops in Balsamic and Rosemary Marinade
This recipe works great for lamb or chicken but my daughter just loves pork chops so this is one of her favorite dishes. I like to buy a large package of thick boneless pork chops at Costco. They have never let me down with their meat department. It is usually a nice lean cut and just the right thickness for grilling.
If you have ever grilled pork chops you know how easy it is to over cook them and wind up with a dry rubbery chop. The thin chops are difficult to cook because they cook so quickly you can easily over cook them. The marinade for this recipe gives the chops flavor as well as moisture and the Dijon mustard just seals in the juices. If you give this one a try let me know what you think because I think this one is a winner.
Ingredients:
- 6-9 1-½ inch thick cut boneless pork chops (depends on how many people you are feeding)
- 1 Cup Dijon mustard in a small bowl.
- 1 Cup olive oil
- 1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar
- 6-9 Cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary. If you use dried, only use 1-½ tablespoons
- Salt and fresh ground pepper
- Pam Grill Spray
Directions:
Place the pork chops in a large glass baking dish. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar over the meat. Sprinkle the chopped garlic and the rosemary over the meat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight, turning the chops over at least once during the marinating time. I usually put this all together the morning I’m making the dish and then grill them that evening.
About 30 minutes before you are ready to grill (or before you light your grill), remove the chops from the refrigerator and just let them sit out in room temperature. You don’t want to place ice-cold meat on the BBQ because it can interfere with your cooking time.
Let the grill get hot, clean the grill and give it a good dose of grill spray. When your grill is nice and hot (about 350 in the hood), and the chops have had a chance to sit, remove them from the baking dish and place on the grill. Keep your bowl of Dijon mustard near the grill. One cup should be plenty but if you need more, just use it as needed.
Sear the chops on one side for about 3 minutes on high heat, then turn. You’re looking for a nice grill mark if your grill is good and hot. Give each chop a coat of Dijon mustard with a grill brush (if you don’t have one just use a teaspoon and spread the mustard with the back of the spoon). Allow the other side to cook for 3 minutes. Then, turn the chops again, coat the other side with the mustard and turn the grill down to medium.
Close the lid and cook the chops another 8 to 10 minutes without turning the chops again. Total cooking time should only be about 14- 16 minutes so keep an eye on your watch. If you can’t turn the grill down move them to a cooler spot on the grill.
To be sure you don’t overcook, I recommend that you use a meat thermometer and check internal temperature after 10-12 minutes. When the chops measure 140 degrees with a meat thermometer they are ready to come off. The goal is about 145 but the temperature will rise slightly when they sit, so there is no need to over cook them. A slightly pink-inside, juicy chop is what you are looking for.
Once you remove the chops from the grill, allow them to rest on a serving plate covered with foil for at least 5 minutes before you serve them. This will give them a chance to hold their juices.
Cooks notes:
-The longer you leave the chops in the marinade, the more flavor they will have. However, if you are short on time you can prick the chops with a fork to help them absorb the marinade faster.
-Do not over cook! If you follow my directions you should end up with perfectly cooked juicy meat.
-If you do over cook your chops by accident, don’t panic. Just add a pat of butter to the top of each chop and serve. The extra cream in the butter will counter act the dry texture of the pork and everyone will love it.
I sometimes purposely serve some herb-seasoned butter over the top of the pork just for added flavor.
