Simple Grilled Thick Cut Pork Chops

Delicious grilled pork chops in 30 minutes with no flipping required!

Serves: 1 chop per person

Recommended Pellets: Apple, Hickory, Maple

Wood Pellet Guide

Print Recipe

RECIPE DIRECTIONS

Related Recipes

• ANYTIME PORK ROAST

  

  This Sunday, let the grill do all work.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• GRILLED THICK CUT PORK CHOPS

  

  Delicious grilled pork chops in 30 minutes with no flipping required!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SIMPLE GRILLED THICK CUT PORK CHOPS

  

  Delicious grilled pork chops in 30 minutes with no flipping required!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• HOLIDAY HAM W/ APPLE & BOURBON GLAZE

  

  This recipe is for “ready to eat” or “fully cooked” hams—not fresh hams. Try to buy hams that have been minimally processed, preferably, bone-in and unsliced with a nice cap of fat.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• ALL-AMERICAN BBQ SPARERIBS

  

  As someone who has probably barbecued over 200 racks of ribs in the last few years, I think I can say that baby backs, in my opinion, are overrated. Give me the meatier sparerib any day. And the trimmings, such as the rib tips, can be barbecued alongside the ribs and used to flavor beans or chili.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• TRAEGER PULLED PORK

  

  Try this irresistible Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe. Invite the neighbors (this recipe serves 8-10) and make it a party!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• 3-2-1 BABY BACK RIBS

  

  The 3-2-1 method of barbecuing ribs—3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped tightly in foil, and 1 hour sauced—has become very popular among competition barbecuers and home cooks alike, especially those who prefer their ribs “fall-off-the-bone” tender. Adjust the cooking time if you like your ribs with more chew.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SWEET 'N SMOKY BARBECUED RIBS

  

  Finger lickin’ good, indeed. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, and plenty of napkins. Feel free to substitute baby backs for spares. Know they might not take as long to cook.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PORK ROAST WITH A BEER AND HONEY-MUSTARD GLAZE

  

  Celebrate Oktoberfest by Traegering a meal inspired by Germany’s Bavaria. Serve this succulent pork roast with mashed sweet potatoes and apple wedges roasted in butter and lightly dusted with cinnamon. And the beverage? Beer for the adults, of course, and apple cider for the youngsters.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• BBQ MAPLE BAKED BEANS WITH BACON

  

  These beans are marvelous with pulled pork sandwiches. If you don’t have time to soak the beans overnight, feel free to substitute 4 15-ounce cans of cooked navy beans. Drain all but one of them, reserving the liquid from the remaining three cans, and combine the beans and the remainder of the ingredients in a Dutch oven or bean pot and bake on your Traeger. (Shorten the cooking time to 2-1/2 to 3 hours.) If the beans seem to be getting dry, add a bit of the reserved bean liquid.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• APRICOT GLAZED BREAKFAST SAUSAGES

  

  Dress up supermarket breakfast links with a sweet and savory apricot and mustard glaze. Perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch. If desired, preheat a cast iron skillet on the grill grate while you cook the sausages, and then serve them (carefully) from the skillet, which will keep them warm for quite some time.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• MAPLE & BROWN SUGAR BACON

  

  Your guests will go wild over this sweet, salty, and crispy treat, so make plenty. Leftovers are great on salads, or just eaten as a snack.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• FRESH HOLIDAY HAM WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

  

  This recipe was written for a fresh (uncured) ham, which you may have to order in advance from your butcher. Specify that you’d like the shank end, although the butt end is good, too.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• STUFFED CROWN ROAST OF PORK

  

  This is pork’s “Cinderella” story: Homely pork chops, still connected to the ribs, get a spectacular holiday makeover when served as crown roast of pork. You will likely need to order the roast ahead, specifying you want the bones “frenched” and formed into a crown. In lieu of bread stuffing, you can fill the crown with cooked rice, couscous, or even mashed potatoes.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PORCHETTA

  

  Food trucks selling succulent porchetta (stuffed rolled pork) are a familiar sight in Central Italy. Traditionally, the meat is encased in a sheet of skin-on pork belly. But to simplify the shopping and preparation, we’ve substituted a blanket of bacon. You can even wrap the pork loin roast in a bacon weave if you’re feeling ambitious, a la the “Bacon Explosion”. (Instructions can be found on the Internet.) Throw fingerling potatoes in the roasting pan during the last 45 minutes of cooking for an easy and authentic side dish.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• GLAZED CAJUN MEATLOAF

  

  Satisfy your inner Cajun! This bayou-inspired meatloaf gets a spicy kick from the addition of Louisiana-style hot sauce and incorporates the famous “Holy Trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery. We used the milder Crystal hot sauce in this recipe; if you substitute Tabasco sauce, use less as it packs a spicier punch. Roast potato wedges alongside the meatloaf (the potatoes will need about an hour), or whip up some mashed potatoes in the kitchen while the meatloaf cooks.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• CUBAN SANDWICH (CUBANO)

  

  Cuba is not only the world’s largest repository of pre-1962 American-made cars, but the inventor of one of the planet’s most satisfying sandwiches, the Cubano. It is a great way to utilize leftover pork of any kind, although we give directions for making an authentic Cuban marinade if you want to start from scratch with a pork loin roast. Best case scenario would be to serve the roast pork below for dinner, reserving enough for sandwiches the next day.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

  

  This citrusy vinaigrette pairs beautifully with the richness of the pork. If you can find them, make this dish with the spectacularly thick (about 1-1/2 inch) “Iowa” pork chops: Their architecture is similar to a T-bone steak. Be sure to cook them to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SMOKED PORK TENDERLOINS

  

  Do not confuse pork tenderloin with the large pork loin roasts sold at many supermarkets and big box stores. A pork tenderloin is typically only two inches in diameter. With the exception of a bit of silverskin, which we recommend you trim off, there is virtually no waste. For a great appetizer, chill the smoked tenderloins, then slice thinly and serve on rye or pumpernickel cocktail breads with a smear of mustard and pickled onions.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• BUFFALO PORK TENDERLOIN

  

  We just can’t help ourselves. We love the flavors that Mrs. Bellissimo put together for her son and his friends that epic night in the 1960s in Buffalo, New York. She only had chicken wings to work with. We can do better.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PORK LOVER' S BAKED BEANS

  

  As kids, we used to pick through the canned pork and beans scouting for the promised pork, which usually presented itself as a small pale cube of fat. One. We invite you to try the meaty version below that gets a triple blast of porky goodness from smoked pork shoulder (feel free to substitute rib meat), a ham hock, and bacon. We’ve also added applesauce and a shot of bourbon to up the flavor ante.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE JELLY GLAZE

  

  Not wanting to make a trip to the supermarket, we used pantry ingredients to make a flavorful glaze for pork tenderloin. Serve with applesauce, mashed or roasted potatoes, and a vegetable.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PICKLE BRINED PORK CHOPS

  

  This was an idea born of frugality. We helped cook at a charity event where pulled pork sandwiches were served with excellent dill pickle spears. At the end of the day, there was a huge bucket of pickle brine left. We couldn’t stand to see it discarded. We started tentatively with pork chops, and loved them. As you can imagine, we’ll post more pickle-brined pork recipes, including one for pulled pork. Waste not, want not!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PICKLE BRINED PORK CHOPS

  

  This was an idea born of frugality. We helped cook at a charity event where pulled pork sandwiches were served with excellent dill pickle spears. At the end of the day, there was a huge bucket of pickle brine left. We couldn’t stand to see it discarded. We started tentatively with pork chops, and loved them. As you can imagine, we’ll post more pickle-brined pork recipes, including one for pulled pork. Waste not, want not!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• MINI SAUSAGE ROLL

  

  Sausage rolls--sometimes called "pigs in a blanket"--are as popular in Australia and New Zealand as hot dogs are in the U.S. Children and adults alike eat these hearty pastries for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack. They are sold in "tuck shops", but are easy for the home cook. These rolls make great holiday appetizers!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• HOLIDAY HAM WITH APPLE CIDER GLAZE

  

  We like to lay this festive-looking ham on a bed of fresh kale and garnish with lady apples, kumquats, and grapes. Leftovers make terrific sandwiches. A pre-cooked smoked ham need only be reheated to 135 degrees F.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• TUSCAN MEATLOAF

  

  Hard-cooked eggs baked, jewel-like, into the center of this savory meatloaf elevate it from the homely to the sublime. Feel free to customize this recipe by substituting cooked spinach (squeeze dry) and chopped sun-dried tomatoes for the bell peppers. Minced mortadella, bacon, ham, anchovies, or green olives also make nice additions.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• BRUNSWICK STEW

  

  This Southern favorite—claimed by the town of Brunswick, Georgia, and Brunswick County, Virginia—makes good use of leftover smoked meats including pork, ham, chicken, turkey, rabbit, brisket, or sausage. Don’t feel bound by the recipe. Serve with biscuits.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• BEER BRAISED PORK SHANK

  

  Pork shanks currently sell for less than $5.00 per pound, meaning you can feed six people spectacularly well for about $20.00. We recommend mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta as a side dish.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• HOME-CURED BOURBON BACON

  

  Our first project when Traeger introduced its Cold Smoker was to cure and smoke our own bacon. We couldn’t believe how easy it was! The hardest part was finding raw pork belly. But with a few days’ notice, your local butcher should be able to source some for you. Pink curing salt can be found online or at sporting goods stores that cater to outdoorsmen. If you do not own Traeger’s Cold Smoker attachment, follow the instructions below and simply smoke your bacon at 180 to 200 degrees F on your Traeger until the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on its thickness.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• APRICOT-GLAZED HAM

  

  The saltiness of the ham and the sweetness of the apricot glaze go together perfectly. With the exception of fresh hams or country-style hams, most hams are sold precooked. So you only have to reheat them to an internal temperature of 135 to 140 to serve. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches, of course.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• LYNCHBURG BACON

  

  Bacon like you’ve never had it—soaked in Tennessee’s pride and joy, dredged in a sweet-savory flour mixture, and baked on the Traeger.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE JELLY GLAZE

  

  If you really like the taste of cinnamon, melt a few red cinnamon candies with the jelly!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• CARNITAS

  

  Carnitas, which means “little meats,” are popular throughout Mexico. They can be found on street corners, humble taquerias, and in markets. Chunks of pork shoulder are slowly braised in liquid until tender, then fried in a small amount of lard until browned and crispy on the outside. If desired, you can cook the pork until tender up to three days ahead, and then fry the meat just before serving.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SMOKED PORK GREEN CHILI

  

  We made this chili for a well-attended barbecue event, and were overwhelmed by requests for the recipe. Although typically made with Hatch chiles, which are in season only for a couple of months beginning in August, we were pleased with a poblano/Anaheim/jalapeno mix that can be replicated any time of year.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SMOKED SCOTCH EGGS

  

  The London-based food purveyor Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented Scotch eggs for wealthy travelers in 1738. But earlier versions of this portable snack can be traced to India. In any case, Scotch eggs are usually deep-fried. We happen to love an alternative method—smoking and baking the sausage-covered eggs on a Traeger. We recommend you make only as many as you and your family or guests can eat at one sitting. Chilled, the egg whites and sausage coating separate from each other.

  VIEW RECIPE >

• SIMPLE SMOKED RIBS

  

  Simple to prepare, and fall off the bone tender and delicious!

  VIEW RECIPE >

• QUICK RIBS (LESS THAN 3 HOURS)

  

  Full of smokey flavor, and fall off the bone tender in less than 3 hours!

  VIEW RECIPE >