Recipe: Root Beer Pork Chops

Marinated overnight in root beer, these delectable pork shops spiced with smoked paprika are among our go-to grilling favorites.

Serves two but it’s easy to adjust up.

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) boneless pork chops, 1½ inches thick, trimmed
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle of good quality root beer with natural sugar (e.g., cane sugar)
  We use Boylan Bottling Co. root beer. Avoid root beers with high fructose corn syrup.
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika

Step by Step

Step 1

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut slits, about 2 inches apart, through the fat on the edges of each chop. Place pork chops in a gallon Ziploc bag or a tight-sealing container large enough to hold the chops. Pour the root beer over the chops and refrigerate at least six hours, preferably overnight, turning the chops once so that they marinate evenly.

Step 2
Remove the chops from the root beer marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Let them rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Discard the root beer marinade.

Step 3
Preheat your grill to 450°-500° and spray with high-heat grilling oil (we use avocado oil).

Step 4
Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Season all sides of the chops evenly with the spices and gently rub in.

Step 5
Grill until pork chops register 140°, 12 to 14 minutes, flipping and rotating the pork chops halfway through grilling. Remove from the grill and allow to rest on a platter under a foil tent for 5 minutes.

We like to serve these pork chops with diced, roasted sweet potatoes and air fried asparagus.

Download the one-page recipe PDF