The Best Pork Chop Seasoning. Homemade and Flavorful - Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

Homemade Pork Chop Seasoning is one of those pantry staples to always have on hand. It is the perfect blend of sweet and savory with simple spices so it is a breeze to whip up on a busy weeknight.

Pork Chop Seasoning

I believe the best seasoning for pork chops is one that you can make quickly without spending a ton of money on strange and unique ingredients you’ll never use for anything else. This pork chop seasoning is a simple blend of basic ingredients, but the secret is in the ratios. This blend is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and smoky with just a little kick of spice at the end.

My pork chop seasoning recipe calls for smoked paprika to bring an extra element of flavor to your pork chops. It is very simple to find in stores and I recommend picking up a bottle to try in any recipe that calls for paprika for a hint of wood-fired flavor. If you don’t have it on hand, regular paprika is totally fine. Be aware that there are several additional varieties of paprika that vary from sweet to hot, so just read the label so you don’t end up with super spicy paprika!

Grilled Pork Chop Seasoning

This recipe was developed as a grilled pork chop seasoning, however, I found that it works beautifully on baked pork chops, pan-seared pork chops, and more!

The secret, no matter how you are cooking your pork chops, is to start at a lower temperature (for grilling, use indirect heat so the pork chops aren’t right above the fire). This allows the seasoning to cook and coat the outside of the pork chops.

Pork Chop Seasoning Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this seasoning. These are all pretty basic ingredients that you will likely already have in your pantry. And if you don’t have them all, they’re easily found in most grocery stores.

• 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Simply combine all ingredients in a bowl and use immediately. You can also store this seasoning in a sealed glass jar for up to 6 months for the best flavor.

How to Season Pork Chops

You’ve got your seasoning ready to go, now you just need to know how to season pork chops.

1. Season. Start with fully defrosted pork chops and sprinkle the pork chop seasoning liberally on all sides of the chops. I like to use my hands and sprinkle the seasoning on the pork chops from 8-10 inches above. This allows the seasonings to distribute evenly. You don’t need to rub the seasoning into the meat, as it can clump the brown sugar, but I do like to press the seasoning into the meat with the palm of my hand. I recommend seasoning just a few minutes before grilling.
2. Grill. With your grill preheated to 400 degrees F for two-zone cooking, place the pork chops over the indirect heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping once.
3. Sear. Just before your pork chops are done, move them over to the direct heat side of the grill. This allows them to sear and develop a beautiful exterior crust. There is some sugar in the pork chop seasoning, so watch closely during this step to make sure the seasoning caramelizes but doesn’t burn. It should only take a minute or two!

More Seasoning Recipes

Check out these other amazing seasoning recipes from Hey Grill Hey. They’ll all taste amazing on pork (and just about anything else you have on the BBQ!)

• Sweet Rub for Pork and Chicken
• Blackened Seasoning
• Chipotle Seasoning

Pork Chop Seasoning Recipe

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This post was originally published in October 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.