3 Best Grocery Store Pork Chops for Grilling, According to Butchers
Burgers and hot dogs are usually the stars of summer cookouts, but if you want to elevate your backyard event, having pork chops on the barbecue will wow your guests. When cooked properly, they deliver a juicy, flavorful bite that’s every bit as crowd-pleasing as steak—often at a fraction of the cost. The key, however, is choosing the right cut. Not all pork chops are created equal, and some hold up to high-heat grilling much better than others. To find out which chops are worth buying, Eat This, Not That! asked Jorge Thomas, founder of Swaledale Butchers, for the best grocery store pork chops for grilling. Here are his top three.
What to Look For When Buying Pork Chops
Before adding pork chops to your cart, it’s important to know what separates a grill-worthy chop from one that’s likely to dry out.
“Look for thickness and some fat,” Thomas suggests. “Very lean, thin chops are much harder to cook well over fire than a thicker chop with a bit of fat left on it.”
Bone-In Pork Rib Chop
A bone-in rib chop from Whole Foods is Thomas’ first choice for the grill. “The fat helps keep it juicy, and the bone helps protect the meat from the heat,” he says. “The main thing is buying a decent, thick chop. Thin pork chops are hard work on a barbecue.”
Bone-In Pork Loin Chop
Bone-in pork loin chops are a favorite among grillers because they strike a balance between tenderness, flavor and affordability. It’s another favorite of Thomas, who suggests buying this cut from Publix’s private-label GreenWise..”A loin chop grills beautifully if it still has some fat on it,” he says. “The mistake is buying the leanest chop you can find, then cooking it too long. Pork doesn’t need punishing.”
Pork Shoulder Steak
Pork shoulder steaks are prized for their rich marbling and robust flavor. Because they contain more fat than lean pork chops, they stay juicy on the grill and are more forgiving if cooked a little longer. For this cut, Thomas recommends going with Simple Truth Organic. “Pork shoulder steak is one of the most overlooked cuts you can throw on the grill,” he explains. “But, it has more marbling, more flavor and much more forgiving than you’d expect.”
Common Grilling Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to pork chops, cooking them properly is everything and the biggest mistake people make is overcooking them.”Modern pork does not need cooking to oblivion,” says Thomas. “Get some color on it, let it rest, and leave a bit of juiciness in the meat.”