These Grilled Pork Chops Are Smothered In Sweet, Sticky Magic

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Pork pairs so well with a sweet and sticky sauce, and Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins hones in on this fact with this delicious recipe. Her grilled pork chops with honey butter BBQ sauce combine familiar flavors in novel ways, resulting in a dish that is perfectly savory and sweet. "This is one sticky-icky-icky pork chop — in the best way possible," she raves. There are lots of directions to take when concocting a sauce for pork chops, and Watkins shares, "I was inspired by NOLA-style BBQ shrimp with its rich, buttery, bold, smoky, and spicy combination of ingredients." 

Watkins doesn't stop there though, instead adding a sweet element to the flavor palate to enhance every bite. "Thanks to the honey, the sauce becomes nicely emulsified with the butter, and clings perfectly to the grilled pork chops creating this encapsulation of deliciousness," she describes. If you're wondering just how delicious, she asserts, "I am making this recipe all summer long."

For this recipe, you'll need smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Next, get thick bone-in pork chops, a stick of salted butter, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.

To make the seasoning blend, place smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle the pork chops with 4 teaspoons of the seasoning blend. Set the chops aside to rest while you preheat the grill or grill pan.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (or prep coals for a charcoal grill).

Once the grill is hot, add the seasoned chops, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until grill marks form.

Meanwhile, place butter in a large skillet, and melt over medium heat.

Once melted, add the remaining seasoning blend to the skillet, and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the honey, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce to the skillet. Whisk to combine, and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Continue whisking frequently.

Transfer the grilled pork chops to the skillet.

Reduce the skillet heat to low and coat the pork chops in the buttery barbecue sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 F.

Remove the pork chops from the skillet and set aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Reserve the remaining barbecue sauce to serve on the side for additional dipping and slathering.

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If you don't routinely grill pork chops, Watkins offers some advice to guarantee success. "So many of my porky grilling tips begin before the chops even touch the grill grates," she notes. For starters, she says, "Make sure your grill is clean and seasoned," and explains, "rubbing the grates with a little high-heat oil before preheating will help prevent sticking."

You might think that only your oven needs to be preheated, but this step is just as important for your grill. "Make sure your grill is hot and ready to go before starting the cooking process," Watkins says. Meanwhile, if you know to avoid grilling steak straight from the fridge, then you'll understand why it's important to do the same with pork chops, bringing them to room temperature beforehand. "This allows for a more even cook," Watkins explains. 

As for the grilling process, Watkins advises to make sure you cook the sides of the chops, explaining, "these are often fattier bits that need to be heat-rendered to make them more enjoyable." Simply grip the chops with your tongs and stand them up on the grill grates to achieve this. You might be tempted to dig in the moment the chops are off the grill, but Watkins warns, "For a juicier end product, don't skip the resting phase." You'll give the meat time to reabsorb its juices, ensuring a tender interior. 

Watkins' recipe calls for making the sauce in a skillet while the chops cook on the grill, but you could just as easily prep the sauce on the grill top too. You'll just need to be mindful of the grill heat to prevent it from burning. "Set one side of your grill to medium heat (350 F-375 F) and use this two-zone cooking to make your sauce," Watkins instructs, adding, "You can use the medium-high heat (375 F-425 F) side in case you need to get the simmering started." Whatever you do, just make sure to watch that sauce carefully. It can quickly go from simmering to boiling if the temperature isn't properly regulated. 

As it's cooking and the ingredients are coming together, Watkins recommends, "Keep the simmering to low and whisk frequently (honey will burn and butter will become brown and acrid)." While you're at it, you can tweak the sauce if you want to reduce the spiciness a bit. "If you'd like to adjust to a lower heat level, substitute the smoked paprika (which can vary in heat level) to sweet paprika and remove the crushed red pepper flakes," Watkins suggests. Similarly, swap the hot sauce for apple cider vinegar, which will add the right tang minus the heat.

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