Grilled Pork Chops

In my humble opinion, summer meals should be quick and easy.  Even though I love to cook, it is absolute torture for me to spend a beautiful summer day in the kitchen.  I would much rather spend my time outside than in a hot kitchen.  Summer for me is all about spending every minute than I can in my garden or relaxing by the pool or hanging out with my family - not alone in the kitchen. 

I still want to feed my family great meals this summer - I just don't want to spend a long time preparing them.  One thing that helps keep me from lonely dinner prep is to have Ryan and Courtney help me with at least one dinner a week.  (They help on separate nights - learned that the hard way.)  I also choose recipes that are super easy and quick to prepare.  (I save the complicated and fussy recipes for the winter months when I'm stuck inside the house anyway.)

These grilled pork chops are the perfect summer meal - quick, easy, delicious.  The trifecta of a perfect summer dinner.  I threw the pork chops in the brine solution in the morning and let them soak all afternoon while I spent the day hanging out with the kids.  When it was time to eat, my thin sliced pork chops were ready in minutes.

Combine brine ingredients and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.   Add pork chops and refrigerate 8-12 hours.

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Grilled Pork Chops
Brine
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups water

4 center cut pork chops

Rub
3 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, ground mustard and pepper

Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels.  Combine rub ingredients.  Sprinkle over both sides of pork chops.

Grill chops until thermometer reads 145 degrees.

Add a few simple sides and dinner is served. 

These grilled pork chops are delicious and they're so quick to prepare that you'll still have plenty of time left in your day to linger on the front porch swing. 

Ciao! 

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