The Grilled Pork Chop Seasoning You’ll Make All Season Long

Jar of Pork Chop Seasoning — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

In my house, it’s not unheard of for us to have pork chops once a week. With it being such a popular recipe in my kitchen, I don’t always want to spend time sprinkling a bunch of different spices over my chops when a one all-purpose pork chop seasoning will do.

The joy of mixing your own pork chop seasoning at home is that you can customize it to suit your preferences. I prefer more garlic and less salt in my seasoning blends, but feel free to experiment with the basic recipe to make your seasoning unique.

Tall Jar of Pork Chop Seasoning — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Best Seasoning for Pork Chops

Because garlic is near and dear to my heart, I add a generous amount of granulated garlic to my pork chop seasoning. That, along with kosher salt and brown sugar, form this recipe’s foundation. The brown sugar adds a delicate sweetness to an otherwise savory spice blend.

Thyme and sage add herby and floral notes complementing pork’s flavor exceptionally well. There’s also a combination of smoked paprika, pepper, and a little bit of cayenne pepper, which all give your pork chops a lovely, not overly spicy, kiss of heat.

How to Season Pork Chops

To use this pork chop seasoning, simply sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon on each side of the chop. If you prefer a heavier flavor, you can sprinkle 1 teaspoon.

This spice blend is packed with flavor, so you can cook your pork chops right after seasoning them, but I like to let the seasoning penetrate the meat for at least 20 minutes before cooking. You can also season your pork chops and leave them to marinate in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight for the ultimate hit of flavor.

Hand Seasoning a Pork Chop — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Customize Your Spices

The beauty of this pork chop seasoning is that there are no hard and fast rules for what goes in it. Though I think the recipe is a perfect balance of contrasting flavors, feel free to customize it to your taste.

Swap out the smoked paprika for sweet, regular, or hot paprika.
Omit the cayenne pepper if you’re not a fan of spice.
Add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt if you prefer more salty flavors, or decrease it to 2 1/2 tablespoons for a lower sodium seasoning.
Leave out the brown sugar for a completely savory spice blend.
Rosemary, oregano, and marjoram are great herbs on pork chops. Consider swapping out the thyme or sage for one of these to switch things up.

Use Pork Chop Seasoning on More Than Just Pork

Venture beyond the chop with this seasoning blend. I love using this pork chop seasoning on other cuts of pork like ribs. Chicken and burgers taste great with this spice blend sprinkled on them. Just use it as you would on pork chops.

If you omit the brown sugar, this is an all-purpose seasoning that will amplify the flavor of your vegetables, starches (like rice or mashed potatoes), or your pasta dishes. Just use a teaspoon for each pound of meat, vegetable, or starch.

Pork Chop Seasoning on Pork Chops — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Ways to Use This Spice Blend!

Combine spices:

In a 1-quart mixing bowl or 1-pint jar, place the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, dried sage, dried thyme, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Use a whisk to stir the spices together until well mixed.

Alternatively, screw the lid on the mason jar and shake the spices together to combine.