145°F is the magic number

Yes. Pull your pork chops off the grill at 145°F internal temperature and let them rest for 5 minutes.

The old “well done or nothing” rule is dead. The USDA says 145°F is perfectly safe for pork. That leaves you with a slightly pink center and a chop that’s actually juicy instead of a dry hockey puck. The key is the rest — carryover cooking will bump it to about 150°F while the juices redistribute back into the meat.

Don’t overcook. If you’re paranoid, buy a decent instant-read thermometer (Thermapen or even a $20 digital). Trust the temp, not the clock. And please don’t cut into it the second it comes off the grill — that’s where all the moisture runs out onto the plate.

Future you will thank present you for not serving sawdust.