Grilling Tips for Pork
- Fully-cooked hams only need to be grilled to an internal temperature of 140ºF—just enough to warm them through. Spice rubs and glazes are especially good on grilled hams.
- Sausages such as bratwurst and Italian sausage are ideal grilling fare. They grill quickly. Direct medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes is all it takes.
- Today’s leaner pork dries out easily when overcooked, so it’s important to keep an eye on pork when grilling. Rubs and pastes help create a flavorful crust, sealing in the juices, on both small and larger cuts.
- For the juiciest kabobs, cut pork chunks into 1- to 1- 1/4-inch cubes. Anything smaller can dry out too quickly.
- Grilling pork chops? Use chops that are at least 1-inch thick for best results.
Searing
Searing quickly browns food over high heat. This happens easily on a grill, and is often recommended for meats as it may seal in juices, making food more tender. Searing also develops a slight crust, adding flavor and texture to a cut of meat.
- Chops benefit from a good searing. Six minutes per side over direct high heat is perfect.
- Roasts are better when seared first. The exception is a roast with excess fat, which can drip and cause flare-ups over the high heat required for searing.
- Hams are fully cooked, so searing is unnecessary.
- Pork tenderloins cook quickly and need just the slightest outer crust to provide contrast to their tender centers. Searing isn’t important.
- High heat also cooks tougher cuts such as ribs and shoulder so quickly they don’t have time to tenderize. Cook these cuts over indirect medium or low heat.
Determining Doneness
- Chops, roasts, tenderloin, or ground should be cooked to 160ºF. Note that temperatures continue to rise for a short while after removing food from the grill, so tender cuts such as loin roast and tenderloin can be removed when they reach an internal temperature of 150ºF. to 155ºF. A 10-minute rest will bring the temperature up to 160ºF.
Recipes
Chops: Cajun-Style Spiced Pork Chops
Loin filet: Grilled Honey Lemon Pork Medallions
Ribs: Backyard Barbecue Ribs
Sausage: Bratwurst Ruebens
Tenderloin: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce