Cooking Pork Chops is Easy (Really!)

It's summertime and you want the living, and cooking, easy. Kurobuta pork chops are a delicious change of pace for your summer grilling schedule. Thick cut, finely marbled, and incredibly juicy, they’re a far cry from the bargain store-bought pork chops of the good ol’ days.

How to Choose a Kurobuta Pork Chop

THICK CUT

Always choose a thick-cut chop. Thin chops dry out easily. All SRF chops are cut 1-inch thick or thicker. For the ultimate pork chop experience, choose the double bone pork chop - it is the width of two bones.

Bone-in or Boneless?

Here's where you have options:

BONELESS

Pork chops are convenient to make but tend to be a bit leaner. They make dining straightforward - just slice and pork out! (Pun intended.)

BONE-IN

pork chops are preferred by pork aficionados for their appealing appearance. The bone also insulates the meat from heat and creates a juicier chop.

To Brine or Not to Brine?

Dry-Brining Recipe

2 to 4 Kurobuta pork chops
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Remove chops from the package and pat dry with paper towels. Mix salt and sugar, and apply liberally to all sides of the chops.

Place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place, uncovered, in the fridge. Let rest for a minimum of 8 hours and maximum of 24 hours before cooking.

Kurobuta pork chops are naturally rich and flavorful, so if you’re in a hurry, season generously with salt and pepper or your favorite pork rub and hit the grill.

If you do have time, brining helps the chop retain moisture and adds flavor. The traditional method is to dissolve equal parts salt and sugar in water, drop in the chops, and let them rest for 4 hours or more.

A better way is to use a dry brine, much like many folks do with turkeys at Thanksgiving. The optimal technique requires about 12 to 24 hours. If you have the ambition and the time, it’s an excellent way to prepare the ultimate pork chop.

How to Cook Perfect Kurobuta Pork Chops

Grilling is the quintessential summer cooking method. Regardless of the type of grill you use — charcoal, gas, or pellet — you can keep the heat outside and enjoy the added flavor that comes from grilled meat.

Grilling

Thick-cut pork chops come out great when they are grilled using the two-zone method: a hot side and a cool side of the grill. For gas grills, turn one burner on medium high and leave the other burner off. For charcoal grills, align hot coals on one side, leaving the other side empty.

Place chops on the cool side of the grill. You’re targeting a grill temperature of 250°F. If the heat is too high, turn down your gas grill on the hot side. For charcoal grills, adjust the number of coals or push the coals farther away from the cool side.

Place the chops on the cool side and close the lid. Then begin monitoring the temperature closely.

If things are heating up too fast, open the lid. There’s no shame in flipping the chop as you get it up to temperature.

When the internal temperature reaches 125°F to 130°F, remove the chop from the grill and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

In the meantime, stoke up the grill. Turn the gas burners all the way up, or open up the vents on your charcoal grill and stoke the coals.

Finish the chops on the hot grill — about 90 seconds per side. The goal is to add a beautiful brown outer crust.

Remove and serve!

When is the Kurobuta Pork Chop Cooked?

Kurobuta chops are a dark-pink color, not pale white like grocery store chops. This is an indicator of higher moisture and pH. The best way to know your chop is done is to use an accurate meat thermometer.

Our suggested internal temperature for cooked pork chops is 130°F for medium rare with a pink center. Pull from the heat and let the chops rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise about 5° and finish about 135°F.*

In the 1960s and '70s, rare pork was associated with trichinosis. This fear continues to cause contemporary home cooks to overcook their chops, but today’s production methods are improved and very food safe. For the best results, pork chops should be served closer to medium to maintain a high level of juicy flavor.