The Best Juicy Skillet Pork Chops (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist pork chops? ›

A longer brine will bring more moisture into the pork, but a quick brine will still be helpful if you're in a rush to get dinner started. A thick pork chop (1 ½” to 2”) can brine for longer, but avoid brining for more than 8 hours to prevent toughness. After brining, rinse pork chops and pat dry to remove excess salt.

Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add meat. Don't add any liquid and don't cover the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until internal temperature registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer (for ¾- to 1-inch-thick chops, plan on 6 to 10 minutes), turning meat occasionally.

Pork chops tend to dry out and burn when you cook them on the stove-top alone, but by frying one side first and getting it good and brown, then turning it over and putting it in the oven to finish cooking, you get the best of both worlds.

Out of all the ways to cook pork chops, the oven method yields the juiciest, most tender meat. Brine bone-in pork chops then sear them first before finishing them off in the oven.

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.

While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.

First, we sear one side of the chops until browned, flip them, turn the heat to low, and cover the skillet with a lid. The second side will slowly turn golden brown, and since we added the lid, the heat from the pan will gently cook the middle. By gently cooking the chops this way, they stay juicy and become tender.

A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

I always cook the bone-in center cut chops because there is more flavor near the bone. I find them packaged as regular cut or thin cut... either is fine. I always use canola oil for frying.

High-heat frying sears them to a golden brown; and a moderately hot oven (400 degrees F) bakes the pork chops gently enough to keep them from drying out. This "sear-roasting" method is a great way to cook pork chops in the oven: Fry one side to golden brown, then flip, and place the chops directly in the oven.

What keeps pork chops from drying out? ›

Brine the pork to maintain moisture by soaking it in a mixture of salt and water, baking soda, vinegar or even milk. You can also pour hot water over the loin to shrink the rind, which can enable better absorption of brine, milk, oil or marinade.

As with my dad's pork chops, grilling is a high temperature cooking method. While I recommend cooking low and slow, I emphasize the word slow. This will not be a fast cooking process, so try it when you aren't rushed. I put them in the oven, covered on the lowest bake setting, which happens to be 170 degrees.

Marinate the Pork Chops

Mild tenderizing is accomplished through the use of acidic ingredients. Lemon juice, flavored vinegar, red wine, and coffee are all recommended as marinade ingredients that can soften the meat a little.

Sprinkle meat tenderizer over the surface of the pork while it's damp. Pour a tiny bit of water over the pork's surface—just enough to make it damp. Then, lightly coat the meat with tenderizer (about 1 tsp/small spoonful of powder for every 1 lb (0.45 kg) of pork is a good rule of thumb).

Because pork chops are such a lean cut, they are relatively quick-cooking and prone to overcooking. When they're cooked for even a few minutes too long, whether it's in the oven or on the stovetop or grill, they're quick to dry out, and — you guessed it — become tough, chewy, and less than appealing.

Brine the pork to maintain moisture by soaking it in a mixture of salt and water, baking soda, vinegar or even milk. You can also pour hot water over the loin to shrink the rind, which can enable better absorption of brine, milk, oil or marinade.

How do you make pork soft and tender? Soak your pork in a salt-based brine before cooking it using your desired method. Pork chops need to soak between 12–24 hours, an entire pork tenderloin needs to soak for 6–12 hours, and an entire pork loin requires 2–4 days of soaking.

Combine water, salt, and any additional seasonings in a large container. Stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Soak the pork chops in the brine solution, making sure they're fully coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

A quick turn in a hot pan followed by a little time in the oven is another great way to cook pork chops. You build color and flavor in the skillet, then hand the cooking over to the oven, which gives you time to prep the rest of the meal.