Pork chop is one of the most popular food ingredient in the whole world because of its versatility and taste. The most famous restaurants often serve this dish in different forms and presentations and people are really enjoying it. If you are one of them, read on as this post is dedicated to teaching you how to cook pork chops to perfection.
Yes, today, you will learn all there is to know about pork chops, even their nutritional value. Pigs and pork have a bad reputation because they are deemed unhealthy. But then, pork chop is not that bad at all – if only you know how to pick the right parts and cook them well.
By the end of this article, you will know how to cook pork chops and how to prepare them right. I will also provide you with some of the best recipes that you can do with this pork ingredient.
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Overview of Pork Chops
What is Pork Chops?
Pork chop is mainly acquired from the back part of the pig, near the spine. That’s why pork chops usually have a bone (a rib) attached.
You can get pork chops in varying thickness – usually ½ inch to 2 inches. The size and thickness will depend on the recipe that you’re making.
However, please note that 1 serving of pork chop is only 3 ounces (this is about the size of 1 deck of cards) – therefore, eating more than that would mean consuming more than what is recommended.
Like I said, pork chop is a versatile type of meat – you can therefore use it for fried, roasted and grilled recipes.
What Do Pork Chops Taste Like?
Pork chop tastes something like beef steak and chicken – depending on the dish. As white meat, it can be compared to chicken breast in taste and nutrition.
Generally, however, it tastes more like beef steak especially when cooked like a steak dish.
If you’ve never tasted pork chop or any part of pork before, rest assured that it tastes good.
In fact, you may not know that you’ve been eating this type of food for a while now. If you like bacon and ham – those are cured parts of pork (though not pork chops).
Top Best Pork Chop Cuts
When making a pork chop dish, you can choose from different types of pork cutlets like the ones listed below:
- Shoulder Pork Chop – This is a bone-in pork chop that has a dark color. It’s also fatty and loaded with connective tissues (the tissues make it quite tough). If you want a really flavorful pork chop cut, this makes for a good choice.
- Rib Pork Chop – This is another bone-in part of pork chop and you can see the bone on one side of the cut. Since it comes from the loin part of the pig, it’s quite tender. It’s also fatty – and that makes it even more flavorful when cooked. Since this is not a tough section of a pig, it’s ideal for quick-cooking recipes like grilling, frying, and searing.
- Loin Pork Chop – This cut comes with a T-shaped bone with both loin and tenderloin parts. This type of pork chop is very lean and it comes with mild flavor. This part easily overcooks, so it’s suitable for quick-cooking recipes like grilling and roasting.
- Boneless Pork Chop – Although this cut comes from the rib section of a pig, the bones are removed when sold to the market. This cut is very lean – and therefore, has very little fat (if any) and connective tissues. Because of its boneless and fatless characteristics, this part is not very flavorful and is prone to overcooking. Still, it’s an all-around ingredient that you can use for grilling, sautéing, and broiling recipes.
- Sirloin Pork Chop – This is a very bony cut of chop that’s also comprised of many muscles. Because of its composition, it’s a very flavorful type of pork chop. However, it’s quite tough – therefore, long and slow cooking is required to keep it moist and tender. When brined, you can use it for different types of recipes.
What to Eat with Pork Chops
Pork Chops are best eaten with side dishes. Listed below are some of my suggested side dishes when you have pork chop in your menu.
- Creamy Spinach Bake: This spinach dish includes cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic as the main ingredients – so, you can already tell that it’s yummy. Pair it with a simple pork chop recipe and you will get to appreciate both dishes to the full.
- Roasted Fruits and Vegetables: Apples are always a perfect match for pork chops. Other than that, you can roast mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, squash, potatoes, etc.) to complement any pork chop recipe.
- Potatoes: Potatoes are always great as side dishes. You can make mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or hasselback potatoes, just to name a few. These are all perfect matches for pork chop recipes. Click here to learn to steam Potatoes.
- Buttered Corn: A buttered corn side dish is not only delicious, but easy to prepare as well. As long as you have frozen or canned corn in stock (and butter, of course), you can easily create this dish to go with your pork chop recipe.
- Eggplant Fries: French fries (potatoes) go well with pork chop recipes. However, if you want to put some twist in your French fries recipe, you can use other ingredients. Eggplant is a good candidate and Parmesan cheese bread crumb coating will make this side dish extra special and extra yummy.
Pan-fry pork chops
14 Ways to Cook Pork Chops
Basically, you can cook pork chops using the following:
More often than not, you will need to combine different methods of preparation and cooking techniques when creating your pork chop recipes. So, for this section, I will show you 14 different ways to cook and prepare pork chops
Basic Methods
How to Fry Pork Chops
For me, fried anything is always good – and that includes fried pork chops. Pan fried pork chops are simply easy to make (you only need oil) – thereby making it doubly appealing, especially when you need to make the dish yourself. Listed below are the steps on how to fry pork chops.
Fry Pork chops via Wikihow
- Step 1 – Prepare your pork chops (bone-in or boneless). They should be completely thawed before cooking.
- Step 2 – Season pork chops with salt, pepper and other herbs (your choice). Sprinkle the seasonings on both sides.
- Step 3 – Put oil in a frying pan (you can use any type of oil like olive oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or butter). Turn to medium high heat.
- Step 4 – Wait for the oil to get hot before placing the pork chops.
- Step 5 – Cook each side of pork chop for about 3 to 4 minutes. This will depend on how thick the pork chop is. If the slice is thick (more than 1 inch thick), it can take more time.
- Step 6 – You will know that the pork chop is done when you see a brown crust form on the surfaces of the chops.
- Step 7 – This step is optional – you can do it if you want to add glaze to your fried pork chop. Simply put a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup on the surface of the pork chop before flipping it to the other side.
- Step 8 – Remove from the frying pan and place on a serving plate.
How to Bake Pork Chops
Oven baked pork chops are easy to prepare and it’s a good option if you’re trying to avoid fried foods. Below, you will find the steps on how to bake pork chops.
Bake Pork Chops via Wikihow
- Step 1 – Prepare the oven by preheating it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 2 – Season the pieces of pork chops with salt and pepper. You can also use other herbs and spices like cayenne pepper, oregano, paprika, etc.
- Step 3 – Arrange the pork chops (single layer) in a baking pan.
- Step 4 – Cook the first side of the pork chops for about 10 minutes.
- Step 5 – Flip the pieces of pork chops to cook the other side for another 10 minutes or so.
- Step 6 – Check for doneness by inserting a thermometer into one of the pork chops (the thickest one in the batch). You should get a reading of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 7 – When cooked, remove the pork chops from the oven and transfer to a plate.
How to Grill or Broil Pork Chops
Broiled pork chops, grilled pork chops and BBQ pork chops are very popular dishes. And they’re quite easy to prepare, too – especially if you have a grill or a turbo broiler. Here are very simple steps to follow when you want to use these cooking methods on your pork chops:
Grill Pork Chops via Wikihow
- Step 1 – Turn on your grill or turbo broiler to medium heat.
- Step 2 – Season the pieces of pork chops by sprinkling them with salt and pepper and any other herbs and spices you want to use in your particular recipe.
- Step 3 – Position the pork chops on the grill or under the heating system of the broiler.
- Step 4 – Cook the first side for 3 to 4 minutes (depending on thickness).
- Step 5 – Flip the pork chops to the other side and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Step 6 – Check for doneness by using a thermometer (internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Step 7 – Remove from the grill or broiler and transfer to a serving plate.
How to Braise Pork Chops
Braising pork chops is another one of those recipes that you can do on the stove. This method involves frying (to sear the meat), but it also involves boiling the pork chops in broth to cook them completely.I will give you an example of a braised pork chop recipe right now.
Braised Pork Chops via Wikihow
For this particular dish, you need the following ingredients:
- Pork Chops
- Oil
- Salt
- Ground pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Chicken broth
The steps on how to braise pork chops are as follows:
- Step 1 – Heat oil in a skillet using medium high heat.
- Step 2 – Season both sides of the pork chops with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Step 3 – Sear the pork chops in the hot oil for about 2 minutes per side (until they’re browned).
- Step 4 – Add chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil.
- Step 5 – Once boiling, allow the pork chops to sit in the boiling mixture for about a minute before turning down the heat to medium low.
- Step 6 – Simmer until cooked (about 20 minutes).
- Step 7 – Check for doneness by taking the internal temperature of the thickest pork chop in the batch (it should register at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Step 8 – Remove from the pan and let the pork chops rest before serving them.
Advanced Methods
How to Make Breaded Pork Chops
Breaded pork chops are undeniably delicious as you can make the breading mixture as tasty as possible. Breading pork chops is a technique that will prevent the chops from drying out when baking or frying them as the breading mixture will act as a shield.
Here are the basic ingredients to the breading mixture:
- Egg
- Milk
- Bread crumbs
The steps to marinating pork chops are as follows:
- Step 1 – Combine the beaten egg and milk and mix well.
- Step 2 – Dip the pieces of pork chop into the egg and milk mixture and make sure that all sides are coated well.
- Step 3 – Dunk the pork chops into the bread crumbs.
- Step 4 – Cook the pork chops by baking or frying.
How to Grill Pork Chops Using the Dry Rub Method
A lean pork chop with some fat is ideal for grilling and using the dry rub method. For this procedure, you need the following ingredients:
- Season salt
- Dried oregano (or other herbs and spices)
How to Grill a Pork Chop Using the Dry Rub Method via Wikihow
Dry rubbing and grilling involve the following steps:
- Step 1 – Sprinkle salt on a plate and place a piece of pork chop onto the plate to coat it with salt. Make sure that all sides are seasoned.
- Step 2 – Rub the salt into the pork chops by using your fingers. The meat should absorb the seasoning through this process.
- Step 3 – Sprinkle oregano (or your choice of herbs) on both sides of the pork chops. Pat the seasoning to allow the herbs to attach to the surfaces of the pork chops.
- Step 4 – Preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 5 – Prepare an area for the hot spot and warm spot on your cooking device. If you’re using a gas grill, just turn off 1 side of the grill. And if you’re using charcoal, simply move the live coals to one side of the griller.
- Step 6 – Cook the pork chops on the warm spot of the grill and not on the hot spot (and definitely not on direct flame).
- Step 7 – Cook each side for about 20 minutes each.
- Step 8 – Check for doneness by making a small cut on the middle part of the meat. If clear or pinkish juices come out (not bloody), the pork chops are already cook. You can also use a thermometer to see if the internal temperature registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 9 – As the final step in grilling the pork chops, put these over the hot spot on the grill and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. The surface will then sizzle as it turns darker in color.
- Step 10 – Remove pork chops from the grill and put into a clean plate for serving.
Important Note:
You only need to cook the pork chops in a warm environment (warm spot) when using the Dry Rub Method. The way it works is that the season salt (when rubbed onto the meat) is able to seal in the juices inside the pork chops.
When placed over warm heat, steam will form inside (through the juices) and cook the meat from the inside. The final step of cooking over high heat sears the outside and gives it a nice, grilled look.
How to Brine and “Dry Brine” Pork Chops
Aside from marinating, brining pork chops also helps in preventing drying out of meat when overcooked or cooked at very high temperatures (such as when you bake or broil them). You only need the following ingredients to make a brine mixture:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Water
- Other spices and seasonings (e.g. garlic, pepper, lemon, etc.)
Dry Brined Pork Chops Photo by Chef John via All recipes
Here are the steps involved in brining pork chops:
- Step 1 – Dissolve salt and sugar in hot water before adding more water (room temperature) to the mixture.
- Step 2 – Place pork chops in the brine mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 12 hours.
- Step 3 – Dry off the pieces of pork chops before cooking them.
Note:
As you can see, brining is quite similar to marinating – but in only involves a simple mixture of salt, sugar, and water. Needless to say, the method of using brine involves the use of a liquid mixture. However, you can also “dry-brine” your pork chops if you want to (all you need is salt).The steps to dry brining are as follows:
- Step 1 – Rub salt to the pieces of pork chops that you want to dry brine.
- Step 2 – Place the dry brined pork chops in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Step 3 – Cook the pork chops as desired.
Note:
While it takes longer to dry brine pork chops, it will produce the same results as when you use the liquid brine method. Yes, the final results will be juicy and tender pork chop dishes.
How to Make Stuffed Pork Chops
Stuffed Pork chops can come in 2 forms:
- Rolled – Thin, boneless pork chops are used in this recipe.
- Pockets – Thick (either bone-in or boneless) pork chops are needed for this technique.
Stuffed Pork Chop via Allrecipes
To make rolled stuffed pork chops, follow these steps:
- Step 1 – Get thin slices of pork chops or pound them until they’re only about ¼ inch thick.
- Step 2 – Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
- Step 3 – Prepare the filling.
- Step 4 – Lay the pork chop flat on a surface and place the filling in before rolling it. Secure with toothpicks.
- Step 5 – Cook the pork chops as you like (bake it, grill it, fry it).
To stuff pork chops using the pocket technique, do the following steps:
- Step 1 – Create a pocket on a thick pork chop by slicing up to the bone (if it’s a bone-in cut) while retaining the sides.
- Step 2 – Season the outside parts of the pork chops.
- Step 3 – Put the stuffing inside the pockets. Secure with toothpick.
- Step 4 – Cook as desired.
Important Note:
The filling can be anything such as:
- Cream cheese
- Butter and cheese
- Mixed vegetables
How to Make Crispy Pork Chops
Crispy pork chops can be cooked on the stove or in the oven. For now, I will tell you how to make this crispy dish in the oven. The following ingredients are needed for this particular recipe (but you can alter some of them as you desire):
Crispy Pork Chops via Delish
- Pork chops
- Bread crumbs
- Olive oil
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried Oregano
- Paprika
- Dried Parsley
- Kosher salt
You can bake crispy pork chops by following the steps listed below:
- Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 2 – Combine the bread crumbs, oil, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, parsley and salt and transfer to a resealable plastic bag.
- Step 3 – Season the pork chops (all sides) with salt and pepper.
- Step 4 – Put the seasoned pork chops into the plastic bag with bread crumb mixture and shake well until all pork chops are coated with the breading.
- Step 5 – Get a wire rack and baking sheet and arrange the pork chops for baking.
- Step 6 – Bake the chops for about 25 minutes or until cooked. Note that the bread crumbs will turn golden brown in color.
- Step 7 – Remove pork chops from the oven and let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
How to Make Drunken Pork Chops
If you’re looking for a pork dish that includes alcohol, try the Drunken Pork Chops recipe. It takes some time to make because it requires slow cooking at a low temperature. However, you know it’s worth all the trouble and waiting time, right?
Drunken Pork Chops via The life jolie
For this particular recipe, the following ingredients are needed:
- Boneless pork chops
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Wine (your choice)
- Beef or chicken broth
- Water (optional)
Here are the steps to making drunken pork chops:
- Step 1 – Heat oil (medium high) in a frying pan.
- Step 2 – Season pork chops (both sides) with salt and pepper.
- Step 3 – Sear each piece of pork chop in the hot oil until both sides are browned (about 1 to 2 minutes per side).
- Step 4 – Once all the pork chops are done, add some more oil into the pan.
- Step 5 – Sauté the onion and garlic in the frying pan.
- Step 6 – Add the wine and let it simmer in the pan for about a minute or two.
- Step 7 – Add the beef or chicken broth.
- Step 8 – Add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Step 9 – Put the pieces of pork chops back into the frying pan and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Step 10 – Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about an hour (until cooked).
- Step 11 – Add some water if the mixture starts to run dry before the pork chops are thoroughly cooked.
How to Make Crack Pork Chops
A Crack pork chop recipe is simply a dish that uses a special sauce. You cook it over the stove and it’s really very easy to prepare.
Crack Pork Chops via Delish
For this sample recipe, you will need these ingredients:
- Boneless pork chops
- Kosher salt
- Ground Pepper
- Barbecue sauce
- Brown sugar
- Lime juice
- Garlic powder
The procedures involved in making this dish are as follows:
- Step 1 – Heat up oil in a skillet (medium heat).
- Step 2 – Season the pieces of pork chops with salt and pepper (both sides)
- Step 3 – Cook the pork chops in the skillet until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side).
- Step 4 – To make the crack sauce, combine the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and garlic powder.
- Step 5 – Add the crack sauce to the pork chops and bring to a boil.
- Step 6 – Turn down the heat and let it simmer (about 5 minutes).
- Step 7 – Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
Smothered pork chop is another recipe that’s done on the stovetop. The pork chops are made with sauce, so it’s really a tasty dish.
I will show you how to make a delicious smothered pork chop recipe right now, but you need to have the following ingredients:
- Pork chops (bone-in)
- All-purpose flour
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
- Olive oil
- Chicken broth
- buttermilk
Here are the steps to making smothered pork chops:
- Step 1 – Prepare seasoned flour by combining flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
- Step 2 – Dry the pork chops by patting the surfaces with paper towel.
- Step 3 – Dredge all the pieces of pork chop in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour
- Step 4 – Heat oil over medium heat.
- Step 5 – Fry the pork chops until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side).
- Step 6 – Place all the pieces of pork chops on a plate and set aside.
- Step 7 – While the pan is still hot, sprinkle some flour seasoning into it.
- Step 8 – Combine and stir in the seasoned flour with the oil and drippings from the cooked pork chops.
- Step 9 – Add chicken broth and let it cook for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Step 10 – Add buttermilk to create a gravy-like mixture.
- Step 11 – Return the fried pork chops into the pan and cover it.
- Step 12 – Allow to simmer until pork chops are thoroughly cooked.
- Step 13 – Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
- Step 14 – Remove from the pan and transfer to a clean dish.
Tips & Tricks For Cooking Pork Chops
How to Choose Best Pork Chops
Your pork chop dishes will taste better if you pick the right ingredients (especially the main ingredient). Therefore, keep the following things in mind when choosing the best pork chops for your recipes:
- Make sure that you’re always getting fresh pork chops from a reputable source.
- Choose thin cuts of pork chops (1/4 inch) for recipes that call for such (like you’re cooking rolled stuffed pork chops). Thin chops cook really fast, which is good – but you need to keep your eye on them to avoid overcooking.
- Choose thick cuts of pork chops for recipes that require them – such as stuffed pork chops, wherein you need to cut out a pocket on the meat. Thick cuts are also more presentable for most pork chop recipes. Also, keep in mind that they need long, slow cooking time.
- As much as possible, choose bone-in pork chops as they are more flavorful than boneless.
Pork Chops with Potatos
Needless to say, the best pork chop is a fresh piece of meat that works well for your particular type of recipe.
How to Prepare Pork Chops Before Cooking
Pork chops require very few preparation methods before cooking. However, remember the following points when cleaning and washing pork chops:
- Washing pork chops before cooking or storing them in the refrigerator is not really necessary if you want to make sure that it’s bacteria-free. Yes, pork chops (and other raw meats) carry bacteria – but washing won’t remove them. Therefore, washing is only useful for removing dirt on the meats.
- To make sure that your pork chop is bacteria-free, you should cook it right (thoroughly). In the case of pork chops, these should reach a cooking temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit in order to be safely eaten (all the bacteria are killed in this temperature).
- Marinated pork chops need not be washed before cooking as the marinade mixture will only be washed away.
- Brined pork chops need to be rinsed with water before cooking so as to remove any excess salt on the surface of the meats.While it is not necessary to wash pork chops before storing them, it’s important to keep them in the refrigerator to prevent bacteria growth. Storing them in the freezer is even better.
Great Condiment Companions for Pork Chops
Cooked pork chops already taste good, but if you still want to serve them with condiments, you can use the ingredients listed below (you can also mix and match them):
Raw Pork Chops
- Mayonnaise
- Catsup
- Mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Cilantro
- Sage
- Parsley
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
Combining any of the above ingredients (according to your taste) will result in a great-tasting condiment for your pork chop.
This is especially true for fried and breaded pork chops as their flavors can further be enhanced when served with condiments.
Ways to Tender Pork Chops
Let’s face it, no matter how deliciously cooked your pork chop recipe is, you won’t be able to enjoy it if it’s tough. Follow the advices below to ensure tender, juicy pork chop dishes all the time.
- Brine pork chops before cooking and these will come out tender and juicy after cooking.
- Pork chop cuts with no fatty parts can end up tough even after cooking. To avoid this, make sure that you cook them in a long, slow process using medium low to medium high heat.
- Braising pork chops is one way to cook them right and retain their tenderness. Since there will be liquid ingredients and sauce in the recipe, the chops will retain their moisture inside.
- Lastly, make sure that you don’t overcook pork chops – especially for quick, high heat cooking methods like grilling and broiling.
Best Drinks to Pair with Pork Chops
When pairing drinks with pork chop recipes, you should consider the method of cooking that you used (roasted, fried, grilled) and the pork chop sauce as well (if any). Basically, since pork can taste greasy, wine (both red and white) will work well with them.
Grilled pork chops, on the other hand, are best paired with the following:
- Valpolicella
- Chianti
- Burgundy (white and red)
- Alsace Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Vouvray
The best drinks to pair with fried and breaded pork chops are the following:
- Chenin Blanc
- Riesling
- Grenache
- Tempranillo
- Barbera
Barbecued pork chops and chops cooked in barbecue sauce are best paired with the drinks listed below:
- Australian Cabernet-Shiraz
- Chilean Merlot
- Carmenère
- Pinotage
- Zinfandel
Pork chop casseroles can be paired with the following drinks:
- Chenin
- Chardonnay
- Côtes du Rhône
Here are some suggestions for roasted pork chop recipes:
- Pinot Noir
- Northern Rhône
- Crozes-Hermitage
- Chianti Classico
How to Season Pork Chops
Personally, I always get by with just salt and pepper when seasoning pork chops and other types of raw meat (these 2 can bring out their natural flavors). However, for some added taste, you can also season them with the following:
- Paprika
- Sugar
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Thyme
If I were you, I would just stock up on different types of herbs and spices so that you can mix and match them in your recipes. Herbs and spices can be used in your other recipes and they’re good for the body as well.
Homemade Shake-and-Bake Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce by MyRecipes.com
9 Common Mistakes When Cooking Pork Chops
In order to make the best tasting pork chop recipes, the cooking process for this particular piece of meat should be followed. In this section, I am taking up some of the most common mistakes when cooking pork chops.
Mistake #1 – Not Using a Food Thermometer
Mistake #2 – Serving Pork Chop Immediately After Cooking
Mistake #3 – Not Prioritizing the Quality of Meat
Mistake #4 – Choosing Boneless Pork Chops Over Bone-in
Mistake #5 – Not Thawing Frozen Pork Chops
Mistake #6 – Holding Out on the Seasoning (Especially Salt)
Mistake #7 – Removing Fatty Layers on the Pork Chops
Mistake #8 – Not Using Proper Cooking Temperature
Mistake #9 – Not Being Familiar with Cuts
Experts’ Advices
Let’s listen and learn more lessons on cooking pork chops from expert cooks and bloggers, shall we?
What is the Best Seasoning for Pork Chops?
According to our friends at Food.com, here are some of the best seasonings for pork chops:
- Olive oil
- Vinegar
- Thyme
- Cumin
- White pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
How to Cook Tender Pork Chops
Pork chop experts at Food.com have the following things to say when trying to cook tender pork chops:
- Buy bone-in pork chops as the bones add moisture (and flavor) to the meat while cooking.
- Don’t buy thin sliced pork chops as these can cook real fast and dry up fast as well.
- Season generously with salt, as salt helps seal in moisture inside the pork chops.
How to Make Juicy Pork Chops
Consider the following advices from thespruce.com:
- Pork chops should not be overcooked. They come out juicier when medium cooked, just make sure that the cooking temperature has reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cooking pork chops at room temperature will ensure that the entire pieces are cooked evenly.
- Allow a few minutes of rest time before serving cooked pork chop so that the meat can distribute its juice throughout the entire piece.
What are Some Tips for Reheating Pork Chops in the Oven?
The food experts at LiveStrong.com have the following suggestions when reheating pork chops in the oven:
- Put shallow water or broth in an oven-safe dish.
- Place the pork chops in the water or broth and cover with a lid.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
Bonus: More Pork Chop Cooking Tips
Expert cooks at TheKitchn.com advice against buying thin slices of pork chops. Thick slices are more forgiving to overcooking and these won’t dry out that fast. So, go for pork chops that are about 1 ½ inch thick.
Our friends at TheKitchn.com also recommend brining pork chops as much as possible. Aside from ensuring that the end result will be tender and juicy, this procedure also adds flavor to this otherwise mild-tasting meat.
There are many different ways to cook pork chops. The experts at TasteofHome.com have pork chop recipes for baking, frying, grilling, slow cooking, etc.
Keep in mind that pork chops are versatile pieces of meat and you can prepare a lot of different dishes with them. Recipes such as breaded pork chops and stuffed pork chops are actually very easy to prepare.
Top 10 Recipes with Pork Chops
Okay, let’s get cooking now! Here are the Top 10 Pork Chop recipes that I want you to try out.
Applesauce Pork Cops by AllRecipes
This pork chops and applesauce recipe is done on the stove and finished off in the oven. It only takes about an hour from start to finish (including preparation time) with 30 to 45 minutes in the oven.
Applesauce Pork Cops by AllRecipes.com
You need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- Pork Chops
- Butter
- Onion
- Apple
- Applesauce
- Brown sugar
- Ground mustard
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Ground pepper
Pork chops and apples simply make a great pair, so make sure that you try this recipe out.
Homemade Shake-and-Bake Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce by MyRecipes
This recipe of shake and bake pork chops is cooked in the oven. However, you’re going to use your stove to prepare the yummy sauce.
To give you an idea on how this dish will taste like, just look at some of the ingredients you need to make it:
Homemade Shake-and-Bake Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce by MyRecipes.com
- Pork chops
- Bread crumbs
- Olive oil
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Parsley
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
- Butter
- Chicken broth
- Dijon mustard
- Heavy cream
- Lemon juice
It will only take you about an hour to make this recipe.
Smothered Pork Chops by FoodNetwork
If you’re looking for a simple smothered pork chop recipe, this is it. This dish requires you to cook everything on the stove as you cook the pork chop right in its sauce. Here are some of the ingredients needed for this recipe:
Smothered Pork Chops by FoodNetwork.com
Quick-and-Easy Smoked Pork Chops Recipe by TheSpruce
Quick-and-Easy Smoked Pork Chops Recipe by TheSpruce.com
Smoked pork chops are not only easy to prepare, they’re very tasty as well. This particular recipe only needs the following ingredients:
- Smoked pork chops
- Oil or butter
Pork Chop Steak by Asian In America Magazine
Pork Chop Steak by AsianInAmericaMag.com
This Asian recipe on pork chop is enjoyed all over the world and for a reason – it’s soooo delicious!
Just think about it – its marinating mixture is also used for the sauce. And the pork chops are cooked in this full-flavored sauce as well.
Here are some of the ingredients needed to make this dish:
- Pork Chops
- Garlic
- Onion
- Soy sauce
- Lime juice
- Broth
- Oil
- Salt
- Ground pepper
If you’ve never tried pork chop steak before, now is your chance to do it.
Pork Chop Casserole by MrFood
This pork chop casserole is delicious and easy to prepare. You need your stove and oven to complete the whole cooking process, but more time is spent in baking it. Here are some of the ingredients you need for this recipe:
- Pork chops
- All-purpose flour
- Oil
- Beef broth
- Condensed mushroom soup
- Rice
- Water
This recipe can be served for lunch and dinner – and it’s quite filling since it has rice included in the dish.
Simply Oven Baked Pork Chops Rice by Food
Here’s another recipe for an oven-baked pork chops with rice. It’s a very simple recipe that can be done in about 1 ½ hours. The ingredients to this recipe include the following:
Simply Oven Baked Pork Chops Rice by Food.com
- Pork chops
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Water
- Rice
- Onion
- Ground pepper
- Salt
This is one of those recipes where the oven does all the work for you.
Boneless Pork Chop by FoodNetwork
Boneless pork chop recipes are hard to come by as bone-in chops are more recommended in recipes (since they’re tastier). Still, I found this very simple, very easy fried recipe that you can do quickly (especially if you’re using thin slices of pork chops). Here are some of the ingredients for this dish:
- Pork chops
- Oil
- Butter
- Salt
- Ground pepper
- Flour
You will surely like this recipe if you simply want a butter-flavored fried pork chop.
Pineapple Pork Chops by Bon Appetit
One of the best dinner ideas with pork chops is this recipe that uses pineapple as marinade. You can then broil or grill the meat in this dish. It also comes with a special sauce derived from the pineapple marinade. You only need a few ingredients to pull this recipe off – here are some of them:
Pineapple Pork Chops by BonAppetit.com
- Pork chops
- Pineapple
- Garlic
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
Brown-Sugar Pork Chops with Peach Barbecue Sauce by All You
This pork chop in barbecue sauce recipe is another must-try, if you haven’t done it yet. It requires you to brine the pork chops first (to ensure that they’ll be tender once cooked). Finally, you need to grill the pieces of pork chop before topping them off with its one of a kind peach-barbecue sauce. This recipe calls for the following ingredients:
Brown-Sugar Pork Chops with Peach Barbecue Sauce by AllYou.com
- Pork chops
- Onion
- Ginger
- Peach preserves
- Peaches
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
- Oil
- Catsup
- Apple cider vinegar
Nutrition Facts of Pork Chops
Pork Chop Nutrition Profile
While pork is generally considered to be an unhealthy type of meat, you can get away with pork chop since it’s actually lean meat. In fact, you can get some nutrients from this cut of meat from pigs. In this section, I will cover all the good and bad aspects of pork chop nutrition.
First of all, keep in mind that 1 serving of pork chop is 3 ounces. Think about the size of a deck of cards – yes, that’s about the size we’re talking about. Consider the following information every time you eat 1 serving of pork chop. (Note: these are just approximate amounts)
Nutritional Facts of Pork chops
Important points:
- Pork chop is high in protein.
- Most of the fat in pork chop is composed of unsaturated fat.
- Pork chop has saturated fat that can increase cholesterol levels.
- Technically, pork chops (lean cuts) are almost as lean as chicken.
- Cuts of pork chops that are not lean are high in cholesterol and calories.
Healthy Pork Chop Eating Recommendations
In spite of being “almost as lean as chicken,” keep the following healthy recommendations in mind:
- You can trim the fat on pork chops before or after cooking (but note that it adds flavor while cooking).
- Serve pork chops with vegetables as side dish to make the meal more nutritious.
- Serve with brown rice instead of white rice.
- Eating more than 1 serving of pork chops per meal can lead to weight gain.
- People with family history of high cholesterol and heart diseases should avoid eating pork chops (pork, in general) because of its high cholesterol content.
FAQs
Finally, for the last section of this post, I’m going to answer some of your frequently asked questions about cooking pork chops.
How Long to Cook Pork Chop?
How to Season Pork Chop?
What is the Best Way to Cook Pork Chops?
How Long Does It Take to Fry Thick Pork Chops?
How Do You Fry Pork Chops Without Flour?
How Do You Make Gravy From Fried Pork Chops?
How Can I Fix Dry Pork Chops?
Conclusion: Eating Pork Chop in Moderation is the Way to Go
Unless you have a medical condition, eating pork chop in moderation is safe for you. Still, ask your doctor about it and listen to your own body. In general, eating a wide variety of foods is recommended as you will benefit from varied nutrients. Meat products are particularly high in protein, too.
I also recommend adding vegetables and fruits to your meals (whether it’s pork chop or other types of meat).So there. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a message in the comments section. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends. Cheers!
Resources and Further Reading
- Guide to Pork Chops by TheKitchn.com
- Pork Chop Side Dishes by TheKitchn.com
- How to Cook Pork Chops by AllRecipes.com
- Recipe Ideas by Delish.com
- How to Prepare Pork Chops by FSIS.USDA.gov
- Drinks to Pair With Pork Chop by MatchingFoodAndWine.com
- Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Pork Chops by ChefWorks.com
- How to Heat Up Leftover Pork Chops by LiveStrong.com
- How to Rescue Overcooked Meat by FoodNetwork.ca
- Pork Chop Calories by DietHealthClub.com
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