Learn to cook the best baked pork chops that are tender and moist. With a little searing and minimal time, they are juicy and favorable. It doesn’t get better or easier than this.
Introduction
Simple, moist, and tasty are all good words. In cooking, I love these words, and here they are all in one place with these great baked pork chops.
We all love a good pork chop, and they make an excellent weeknight dinner. So let's make them as good and as easy as possible.
My Rating
A solid high 4. And a low five if you brine.
🐖Pork Chops
What is a pork chop?
Let's talk about pork and pork chops. First, pork is not graded like beef. There is no prime, choice, etc. unless made up as a marketing gimmick. There are multiple names for the same cut only for marketing.
A pork chop is from the loin of the hog. If there is a bone, it is usually the same bone, as you will find in baby back ribs.
I have listed five chops in the diagram, but only the middle three should be considered "real" chops and will all cook the same. The other two "chops" do not cook the same, and, to me, should be avoided.
Boneless or bone-in?
It doesn't matter to me. Some people feel bone-in will be more flavorful, but if that is true, it is minimal. The bone can slow cooking a small amount.
Our favorite chop is a center cut boneless, which I usually cut myself from a whole pork loin. I buy a whole pork loin and cut it as thick as I want easily, freezes great and great for other things like my Mexican shredded pork. I like to cut mine about 1 inch thick to cook well but still be moist.
♨️How to Cooking Pork Chops
The Pan
Cast iron work great. I generally use a 10- inch cast iron skillet if I am cooking two or the 12-inch for 4.
The preferred pan is safe on the stovetop and can go directly to the oven. Most skillets can do this, but not all. If you are unsure if you pan is safe used this way, then preheat an oven-safe pan in the oven. Then sear in a stovetop pan and transfer to the oven pan after searing.
Pick Your Chop
This is good for ¾ to 1 ½ inch pork chops. I generally use a center cut 1-inch boneless chop I cut myself.
🥣Should I Brine?
Yes, if you have time. But fresh pork chops cooked quickly will generally be moist and tender anyway. I feel that a pork chop that has been frozen is a bit drier, and I like to brine those chops.
Skip the brine if you want, and I think you will only have a little effect if you are careful not to overcook but do it if you have time.
The Searing
The searing creates a Maillard reaction, which is the scientific name for the browning you will see. It adds lots of flavors to enhance the final results. It is this searing that will get you the outstanding flavor you want.
The first thing is wet meat does not sear well. Pat dry the chops before searing.
Generally, sear for about 3-4 minutes per side. It will vary a bit you the temperature of the pan and the meat. Get the meat to almost the final color you want.
Also, I like to flip the meat one final time just as the meat goes into the oven. This puts the coldest side of the meat on the hot pan for the final cooking.
Gravy Option
You can easily make gravy in the pan after done cooking. See Fried Pork Chops with Gravy and How To Make Gravy at Home.
🌡️⏰Temperature and Time for Cooking Pork Chops
I like to sear over medium-high heat. I prefer a higher oven temperature, and the recipe calls for 400° convection or 425° conventional. You can use lower temperatures, but it will take a bit longer and may dry some.
The searing time is generally about 3-4 minutes per side. The time in the oven varies by the thickness, the amount of searing, and the exact oven temperature. Also, a bone-in chop may take a few minutes longer.
The 1-inch thick chops I suggest will take 8-10 minutes to get to 145°-150° internal temperature.
If you do ¾ inch thick, it will be in the 5-7 minute range. And if you don't sear, it will take a few minutes before reaching your final internal temperature.
And the usual reminder- never cook by time alone. You are cooking to a final internal temperature and not by the clock. The time estimates are provided for your planning.
Final Internal Temperature for Pork
Taste, moisture, and safety-wise, 145° with a three-minute rest is correct. There will be a little pink left in the pork at 145°, and if you are like my wife, who wants no pink, you will be more comfortable at 150° or even 155°. Please do not go over 155° for this cut, or it will begin to dry.
For many years, due to the fear of trichinosis, which was a parasite found in undercooked pork, pork was cooked to 170° by common wisdom. However, with modern farming methods, that has not been a risk in the USA for decades.
The FDA went to a recommendation of 160° for a number of years. Then in 2012 went to the current recommendation of 145° with a 3-minute rest.
📖Pork Chop Recipes
How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Thick Cut Pork Chops
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Use the pork chop of your choice. If there is a fat rim over ½ inch thick, then trim it down. Then notch the fat through to prevent cupping.
If brining, mix brine in 1-gallon freezer bag, place bag in a bowl, submerge chops and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Then lightly rinse and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven. Pat dry the chops with a paper towel. Salt (only if not brined) and pepper to taste.
Heat oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown both sides of the chops to the point you might call done—about 3 minutes per side. Flip one final time and place in the oven until the internal temp of your choice. I did 150° degrees, and it took 10 minutes.
📖Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- salt
- pepper
Optional Brine
- 3 cups water - cold
- 3 tablespoons table salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Use the pork chop of your choice. If there is a fat rim over ½ inch then trim it down. Then notch the fat through to prevent cupping.
- If brining, mix brine in 1 gallon freezer bag (the water, salt and brown sugar) place bag in bowl, submerge chops and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Then lightly rinse and pat dry.
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven. Pat dry the chops with a paper towel. Salt (only if not brined) and pepper to taste.
- Heat oil in over safe pan over medium high heat until shimmering.
- Brown both sides of the chops to the point you might call done. About 3-4 minutes per side.
- Flip one final time and place in the oven until internal temp of your choice. I did 150, and it took 10 minutes.
- Rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This is for ¾ to 1 ½ inch thick pork chops. Bone-in or boneless either will be good. Bone-in will take a few more minutes in the oven.
- Brining is an option, but it will still be good without it. If you brine, rinse it off and do not add more salt.
- Searing goes a lot better if you pat dry the chops before searing.
- When you sear, get to about the final browning you want. Also, do a final flip just be putting in the oven.
- Use a stovetop to oven-safe pan. If you don’t have that, you can preheat an oven-safe pan and transfer the seared chops to it.
- Remember, you are cooking to a final internal temperature and NEVER by time only. There are too many variables and time estimates are provided to help your meal planning.
- 145° is the minimum temperature and should have a 5-minute rest after cooking.
- For gravy, see Fried Pork Chops with Gravy and How To Make Gravy at Home.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's note: Originally published April 6, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos and a table of contents to help navigation.
Kathy
Can they sit in the brine longer than 2 hours? Thanks
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Kathy,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes. This in not a "heavy brine". Up to 8 hours should be fine generally, but thinner chops may become mushy after only 4-5. You will get all the effect in 2 hours and really most of it in 1 hours.
Dan
Joyce
Where does the water come in?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Joyce,
The water is used (along with the additional salt and brown sugar) if you do the optional brine. Otherwise, they are not used.
Dan
Julianne Johnson
Outstanding recipe! Turned out as good as a nice restaurant could. Thank you!
Alicia B
Delicious-and we thought the breaded ones were good! These are so good with the brine and faster than breading :) Thanks for sharing great recipes.
Margaret Pidde
Thank you for re-publishing your favorite recipes with Notes and Improved Pictures. Did not have pork chops growing up (too expensive for a family with 12 kids); but my husband did and though he remembers the flavor fondly, his mom always managed to dry them out (family with 7 kids - but access to a family farm grown pig). Anyway, we just finished our meal today and they came out perfect - nice and moist, maybe a tich too much salt for me, but he was very pleased. These were 3/4 inch Pork Loin Chops Center Cut Boneless (very lean). Followed your directions very closely, with the exception described below... Did brine for about 1.5 hours. Used a timer to turn the chops in the skillet after 4 minutes on a side. When the second side was at 3min 30sec I inserted my corded meat thermometer in preparation to sliding into the oven. The temp shot up and by the time I went to open the oven door the timer was going off at 145 degrees. By the time I turned off the heat (electric) under the skillet it had hit 150; so I did not use the oven. And they were perfect. Gotta love the thermometer!
DrDan
Hi Margaret,
Welcome to the blog.
You are right that some of my recipes overlap. I generally do the 3/4 inch ones stovetop only. When I go over an inch I do this sear to oven method.
When I grew up, it was pork country but we only had the worst examples but with this method even they will turn out well if not over cooked. And a brine is great for pork loin cuts. And I do love a good thermometer, it makes us look like great cooks.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Lynn McGahan
My mom always made pork chops this way but she dipped them in milk and then flour and then placed them in the oiled pan with salt and cracked pepper on both sides. We place them on a bed of sauerkraut (leave the water on) and bake (I did cover with foil). Just a variation of your recipe. I have found that avocado oil on the cast iron pan works well, as it has a high smoke temp.
DrDan
Hi Lynn,
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks for the variation. I'm sure some will try it.
For the other readers out there, avocado oil smoke point is north of 500 degrees so basically will almost never smoke.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
G. S.
Can you please specify if you cover the chops when you put them into the oven to cook to temperature? It seems no matter what I do, my pork chops are dry even using a thermometer and I end up having to save them with a glaze which should only be used for flavor. I wonder if covering, even with a bit of loose foil while in the oven will help keep the moisture in while still cooking to the proper temperature, but most recipes just say put into the oven and don't specify. Please advise. Thanks.
DrDan
Hi G.S.
Welcome to the blog.
Covering will probably do nothing. Several possible things.
You know the importance of temperature.
Anything under 1 inch thick is likely to dry with almost any cooking method.
A brine might be the solution. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/grilled-pork-chops/ for a discussion of brining pork chops.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Elaine Gates
Unfortunately I followed the recipe exactly … 1-inch chops (bone in), 3 min sear each side, 425 oven … 10 min … ugh … dry and chewy … I was so disappointed! May try the technique again but definitely reduce time and temp at each step!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Elain,
Welcome to the blog.
This is generally a very reliable recipe. Cooking chops are all about temperatures. So what internal temperature were you looking for, what was the temp of the chops going into and out of the over. Then we can troubleshoot your issue.
Dan
Debra
After much internet research I’m looking forward to using your recipe today on precut 1” pork loin chops. Using our instant-read thermometer requires the oven door to be opened to check meat temperature. What type of oven thermometer do you use?
Love your Goldens expressions! Looks like snow?
DrDan
Hi Debra,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep, there were a few snowflakes in the air. They are looking at Mr. Squirrel in the tree. The squirrels love to torment them since they are not the fastest dogs.
It is fine to open the oven to check the meat temp or you can use one of the cable ones if you want since there is no flipping of the meat. But I use an instant read.
Oven thermometer. I check the oven temperature every few months to know they are still accurate. I also check them if something didn't cook as expected, like too fast or slow.
But honestly, I have not found a variation of more then a few degrees for years. 40 yrs ago, I could find 15-20 degree variations and that was important. I think I have much better ovens now.
My current oven thermometer is a Taylor but I had a Rubbermaid before (lost in a move) and both are fine and should cost less than $10 from Amazon or big box stores.
Dan
Don Cudmore
Have meant to post for over a year now, but today I must post this is my go to pork chop recipe and has been for a couple years now. Just plainly the simplest easy recipe ever and comes out to be the best tasting chops every time. Thanks DRDan high five bud!
DrDan
Hi Don,
I do love these. Thanks for the note and high five right back at you,
Dan