Grilling pork chops is an entirely different experience than grilling red meat. While steaks can be charred on the outside and a delicious shade of pink or red inside, pork needs to be cooked uniformly throughout. Use a medium direct heat while grilling pork to achieve these results.
Tip: Remove chops from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling for best results. To save time, prepare the salt rub and prep the grill while the pork is coming to room temperature.
Prep time: 30 minutes (includes time for chops to come to room temperature)
Cook time: 7-8 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 T. sea salt
- 6-8 large fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only, crushed
- 2 T. fresh thyme leaves, crushed
- 3 large cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 T. black Hawaiian salt
- Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray for grill
- 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops, approximately 1” thick
Black Lava Hawaiian Sea Salt
Directions:
- Combine sea salt, basil, rosemary, thyme, smashed garlic, and Hawaiian black salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Scrub grill grates with a wire brush and coat lightly with oil or non-stick cooking spray. Pre-heat grill to medium.
- Rub herb mixture over all sides of pork chops until coated. Place on the pre-heated grill and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning once halfway through. Keep the grill lid closed while cooking.
- Note: If your chops are thinner or thicker than 1-inch thick, adjust cook time accordingly.
- Remove chops from grill and brush off any remaining large chunks of the herb rub. Cover loosely and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Different Ways to Make Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese is one of the most popular foods to have when you want a nice warm meal that will comfort you. A good grilled cheese isn’t hard to make, but there are many variations you might want to try. Here are some different ways to make a grilled cheese.
Tomato Bacon Grilled Cheese
This is a simple variation of a traditional grilled cheese that is super easy to make and really adds to the overall taste and appeal of the simple sandwich. A bacon and tomato grilled cheese is essentially a BLT without the lettuce, but adding in the cheese. You can use any combination of cheese you like for this sandwich, from going with a classic cheddar, to adding in some provolone or gruyere cheese. Add some thin slices of heirloom tomatoes and cooked bacon, and spread on some mayonnaise to the inside of the bread before grilling it up.
Pesto Grilled Cheese
This is another sandwich that is just a slight variation on the grilled cheese you know and love. By making a pesto beforehand, you are adding a kick of flavor without too much work. The pesto can be made in a food processor with ingredients like basil, pine nuts, garlic, and some parmesan cheese if you like. Spread it on the inside of the bread, then add some mozzarella or provolone cheese. White cheese does tend to taste a little better when making a pesto grilled cheese.
Veggie and Ricotta Grilled Cheese
Ricotta is a really fun cheese to use in grilled cheese! Even better than that is the fact that it tastes wonderful when you are making a grilled cheese that includes different types of vegetables. You can choose any you like, though bell peppers and spinach are a great place to start. Also include some tomato slices or onions if you like that type of flavor. Another vegetable to consider adding to the ricotta grilled cheese is kale if you prefer it over spinach.
Apple Grilled Cheese
If you want a little crunch and some sweetness in your grilled cheese, adding apple slices inside the bread pieces is a great addition. Gouda and gruyere are both wonderful choices when you are going to make an apple grilled cheese. The crisp flavor of green apples is highly preferred over using red apples.
Think of your own way to make grilled cheese, experimenting with different fillings and types of cheese for the perfect sandwich.
