grill pork with a napoleon grill in algarve

Whether it be with friends, family, or both, the perfect barbecue is an essential part of a successful outdoor food gathering. Today we will drop nine tips on how to grill pork in Algarve with success!

Hang on to your tongs and prepare yourself for the grilling of your life. Everything from the grill and the coal; to the delicious chops, tenderloins, or the entire pork, must be in good shape and ready to prepare the meal of a lifetime. 

✅ One of the most important things to remember is that you want to have juicy, delicious pork. How tender and tasty that stays will depend on several factors. 

Let’s check them out!

The pork cut will determine how you cook it

The first step would be to waltz into the butcher house and get someone show you the different cuts-unless you are a butcher yourself. 

Now, if you are at the supermarket and have to shuffle about aimlessly, here’s a super short guide on what to choose.

  • Pork chops include bone and fat. They are less likely to dry out but pan-sear them and give them a little butter bath at the end.
  • Pork tenderloin is as lean as pork gets. This one cooks pretty fast, which is good unless you are not paying attention, and then it overcooks.
  • Ah, the delicious grilled pork ribs glazed with a glaring delightful barbecue sauce.! Keep that brush close as you might want to keep those ribs from drying out. 
  •  Then, you have the entire pork just ready to get on that grill. The important thing here is to keep it juicy, flavorful, and suckling!

There are other cuts, of course, but we will stick to these more common ones. 

Become familiar with the recipe

Now that you know the basics of grilling a specific pork cut, you need to become a pro at it.  Follow recipes carefully until you feel familiar with a particular method that works best for the type of pork. 

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Once you have nailed this one, start experimenting with different cuts of vegetables and fruits. You do not want to find yourself dubious in the middle of the BBQ, so test with small portions beforehand.

Practice makes perfect and, the more BBQs you prepare, the closer you’ll get to becoming the King of the Grill!

👉🏻 Take our Mouth-watering Portuguese-style pork kebabs recipe as a starting point to learn how to grill pork!

Use the proper instruments

The best is achieved when using the best. Make sure you are using tools with long handles and mitts to protect your hands from the meat. 

Also, use metal spatulas or tongs. Using forks is a no as you will pierce the meat and lose precious juice. Check out this toolset that includes a head-turner, tong, basting brush, and grill brush. 

Prevent a sticky business

You do not want that tenderloin or pork chops to stick to the grill as it would be a tragic waste. Use some grilling spray to coat the cooking grate. It is also a great idea to brush the food with some olive oil before grilling. 

If your cut does not have a thin layer of fat, place it on the grill, and about a minute or later, slide a spatula underneath to loosen it. Keep cooking on that side until you are ready to flip it. 

When grilling pork, always check for doneness like a pro

Don’t play a guessing game with your food when you can use a thermometer and a timer. If you cut the meat to check for doneness, you will lose some juice. 

Briefly lift the lid and use an instant-read thermometer to check on the temperature. This should be 145°F. Learn the appropriate time for your pork style. If you know how to grill pork chops, for instance, you probably know that those take 20-30 minutes if they have a bone. 

Save the juices!

Well-cooked pork is tender, juicy and delicious. Within this article, we have mentioned how important it is. If we failed at that, we’ll tell you now: it is important!

Besides not piercing through your meat and not cutting it for doneness, avoid flattening your cuts with the spatula. You will squeeze out the juices from it. Besides, these juices will cause flare-ups which might burn you. 

If possible, only flip the food once. 

Cut off excess fat, but not too much

Most pork cuts usually come with the fat trimmed off. If that is not the case, you may want to cut off excess fat. 

Removing excess fat will make the cleanup more manageable at the end, and it will prevent flare-ups. But fat also adds flavour to the meat. 

You probably only need to leave about ¼ inch of fat or less.

tips to grill pork chops
When buying pork chops, there are a lot of options since chops can be cut from different areas

Keep it clean and pristine

One of the reasons pork has a reputation of being unhealthy (besides the fat content) is that, if left partially cooked, it can cause disease. Raw meat can have bacteria which can be passed on to human and make you sick.

Have two sets of utensils when cooking any meat. One set handles raw pork, and the other runs what you have on the fire. 

Don’t transfer cooked food on the same platter containing the raw pieces. 

Unless, of course, if you covered this platter with a liner to carry the raw pork. Discard this liner before placing the cooked food. 

Consider the weather

Cold and windy days will make it a bit more difficult for meat to cook. Allow more cooking time during this weather. The opposite happens on hot days, where you should reduce this time. 

Most recipes include cooking time based on summer and spring. These cooking times also assume that the meat is cold from the refrigerator.


There you have it. Now go and spend those quality moments with those you love. What a better way to create memories than around top quality products within fabulous Algarve’s weather?!


Do you want to check out the best equipment on how to grill pork chops or pork in any form? Visit our showroom in Almancil or contact us for more information.

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