Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops

These delicious sweet tea pork chops are marinated in a sweet tea, then grilled and slathered with a sweet tea glaze. This is the perfect southern comfort food for summertime!

Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops are plated with a sweet potato and corn on the cob.

Sweet tea braised pork chops

Fun fact: if you ask for an iced tea in the south, it will undoubtedly be served cold and sweet. As a northerner who loves bitter flavors, this has been quite the adjustment!

These sweet tea braised pork chops are no joke! They are packed with flavor and have a perfect balance between the sweetness and the tea. They are tender, juicy, and so easy to grill up quickly!

First, the pork chops are marinated in a bold tea marinade. When the pork chops are ready to grill, they are glazed with a sweet tea glaze that sticks to the chops perfectly!

This is such an easy summertime grilling recipe that really embodies the spirit of summer. Sweet tea, a fired up grill, and a delicious recipe is all you need to make this summer a success!

Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops ingredients are displayed individually.

Ingredients for sweet tea pork chops

  • Black tea– Lipton black tea is perfect for this recipe because it is flavorful and does not taste bitter when steeped for longer periods of time.
  • Apple cider vinegar- To make the pork chops even more tender, add a bit of apple cider vinegar to the marinade to help break down the fibers.
  • Lemons– Sweet tea is nothing without a wedge of lemon! A squeeze of lemon adds the perfect balance.
  • Bone in pork chops– Look for thin, bone in pork chops to they will cook quicker on the grill.
  • Sugar- Both regular and brown sugar is needed for this recipe, although if you have to choose one, opt for the brown sugar because of the molasses.
  • Garlic- Fresh raw garlic adds a great additional flavor.
Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops is plated on a white plate after coming off the grill.

Chef’s tips

  • Marinade the pork for at least 2 hours. If you can marinade the pork overnight, even better! Do not marinate your pork chops for longer than an overnight marinade.
  • Steep the tea for a bold brew. Allow the tea to steep for a few extra minutes so it is bold and flavorful.
  • Look for bone in pork chops. Bones in meat ensures the meat will be tender and juicy.
Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops is plated with sweet potato and corn on the cob.

How to make sweet tea pork chops

This recipe is easy and rather quick to make, but it is a two step process. First, you need to marinate the pork chops to make them flavorful and extra tender. Then, the pork chops are grilled and glazed.

Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops are marinated in a concentrated black tea marinade.

Make the marinade

  1. Heat the water in a small pot until it is lightly boiling. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Add the tea bags and the lemon juice and allow the tea to steep for 20 minutes. Place the tea in the fridge while it steeps.
  2. When the tea is cold, place the pork chops, sweet tea, and apple cider vinegar in a ziplock bag or a container and allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops are thrown on the grill and glazed with a sweet tea glaze.

Grill and glaze

  1. Make the glaze while the grill heats up. Make a concentrated tea. In a small pot, combine the concentrated tea, sugar, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a light boil and allow it to reduce to 1/4 of the mixture. The glaze will be slightly watery.
  2. Place the pork chops on the grill and discard the marinade. Use a pastry brush to brush on the glaze and cook the pork chops for 10 minutes on each side, or until the pork has an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Serve and mangia!
A fork is piercing a juicy piece of Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops.

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Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops are thrown on the grill and cooked to 160 degrees.
Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops is plated with sweet potato and corn on the cob.

Grilled Sweet Tea Pork Chops

Sea Salt Savorings
These delicious sweet tea pork chops are marinated in a sweet tea, then grilled and slathered with a sweet tea glaze. This is the perfect southern comfort food for summertime!
5 from 33 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinade time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 141 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone in, center cut pork chops
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 black tea bags
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the glaze

  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 3 black tea bags
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Marinate the pork chops. In a small pot, bring the water to a light boil, then add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Remove the pot from the stove and steep the tea bags for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and place the sweet tea in the fridge. Once the tea is cool, combine the tea, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and pork chops in a ziplock bag or container. Make sure the pork chops are submerged in the marinade. Marinate for atleast 2 hours.
  • Make the glaze. In a small pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the garlic, apple cider vinegar, and the tea bags and simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture has reduced by 3/4 and has become a slightly liquidy glaze.
  • Grill the pork chops. Preheat the grill to about 350 degrees. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the pork chops on the grill and cook for 10 minutes on each side. Use a pastry brush to brush on the glaze a few times on each side. Cook until the pork has reached an internal tempurature of 160 degrees. Remove from heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with slices of lemon. Mangia!

Nutrition

Calories: 141kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 20mgPotassium: 24mgSugar: 35gVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.

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