Grilled Pork Chops: Summer Heaven!

Grilled pork chops are one of the best things you can make on the grill, the secret is to know how to grill them. Pork chops need to be cooked through, but not over cooked. The chop will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the grill if you let it sit in a protected place for about 5 minutes. Pay close attention the color, smell, texture and density of the perfect chop, or you can go buy a meat thermometer. It's really up to you. You want to remove a pork chop from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

When cooking chops you will hear people say to sear the outside to keep the moisture inside. Don't listen to them. Chops and tenderloins tend to start out drier than steaks so this method won't really help. What will help is a good marinade (oil based) or just a light brushing of oil over the surface. Cook your chops over a medium flame and keep a close eye on them. Don't over cook. My mother was always nervous about pork ---but these days pork is actually one of the cleaner meats on the market. The problem is that you need to cook meat to 160 degrees F to be absolutely sure that everything is killed----so if you are nervous about cooking pork get our self a meat thermometer. Another trick is to freeze the chops, which kills the anything worth worrying about!