Equipment
Ingredients
Pork and Onions
- 4 bone-in pork chops, thick-cut, about 3cm thick
- 2 vidalia onions, peeled and cut into 1.5cm thick rounds
- 15 ml olive oil
Red Wine Vinegar Marinade
- 60 ml olive oil
- 45 ml red wine vinegar
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 3 garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 10 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 726 kcal
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1194 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 158 mg
- Potassium
- 989 mg
- Calcium
- 144 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 62 mg
- Phosphorus
- 570 mg
- Zinc
- 6.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.34 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.83 mg
- Niacin
- 17.0 mg
- Folate
- 30 mcg
- Water
- 316 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine 60ml olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the marinade is emulsified.
Place the pork chops in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the pork, turning to ensure each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of the Vidalia onion rounds with the remaining 15ml of olive oil. Season lightly with additional salt.
Preheat the grill for two-zone cooking. Establish a hot zone at approximately 200C/400F and a cooler zone for indirect heat. Ensure the grill grates are clean and lightly oiled.
Using tongs, place the pork chops on the hot zone of the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side to develop a strong, caramelized sear.
Place the onion rounds on the cooler zone of the grill. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning carefully with tongs, until they are deeply caramelized and tender.
Move the pork chops to the cooler zone to finish cooking. Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the chop, pulling them off the heat when they reach an internal temperature of 63C/145F.
Transfer the pork chops and onions to a serving platter. Let the pork rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This allows the muscle fibers to relax and retain their juices.
Chef's Notes
- Bone-in pork chops retain moisture much better than boneless cuts and offer a buffer against overcooking, making them ideal for high-heat grilling.
- Wiping excess marinade off the chops before they hit the grill prevents flare-ups from the oil and stops the garlic bits from burning and turning bitter.
- Letting the meat rest is non-negotiable. Cutting into the chops straight off the grill will cause all the flavorful juices to bleed out onto your cutting board.
- If your onions are charring too quickly before softening, move them to the cooler side of the grill and cover them with a metal bowl to steam them slightly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pork and onions in airtight containers. Reheat gently to prevent drying.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze pork chops only; cooked onions will become mushy upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 150C/300F oven with a splash of water or broth, covered in foil, until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Dry, tough pork chops
Cause: Overcooking past the safe internal temperature of 63C/145F
Fix: Cannot be fully fixed, but slicing the meat thinly against the grain and tossing it in any resting juices can improve the perceived moisture.
Prevention: Always use a digital meat thermometer and pull the chops off the heat right at 63C/145F, allowing carryover cooking during the rest.
Onion rings falling apart on the grill
Cause: Handling too roughly or flipping too soon
Fix: Scoop the separated onion pieces into a foil packet or grill basket to finish cooking.
Prevention: Leave the root end slightly attached if possible, or insert a wooden skewer horizontally through the rings before grilling.
Cultural Context
Vidalia onions are a highly prized sweet onion cultivated exclusively in a specific region of Georgia, USA. Their unusually low sulfur content gives them a remarkably mild, sweet flavor that caramelizes beautifully over an open flame, making them a defining ingredient of Southern American summer barbecues.
