Learn how to cook beautiful thick-cut pork chops that are juicy and perfect with only a little care. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions. Add in some gravy and you're in pork heaven.
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Introduction and My Rating
I love pork and gravy. And nice juicy thick pork chop smothered in gravy is the ultimate comfort food for many.
Today's pork is not yesterday's pork. It is now lean meat and can be part of a healthy balanced diet. But cooking 1 ½ to 2 inches thick chops needs some special tricks. Let's talk about some options.
My Rating
It's a little hard to give this a four instead of a five, but they are just too big for me.
🐖Pork Chops
The pork chops we are talking about in this recipe will be one of the middle three in the above diagram. Usually the "thick pork chops" will be a boneless slice of a whole pork loin at least 1 ½ inches thick.
If you enjoy these thicker chops, then pick up a whole pork loin when they are on sale and cut it yourself. Half the price and they will freeze great for 3-4 months.
🧂Brining
I didn't brine in this recipe, but I would recommend it if you have the time. Combine 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar (brown or white) with 2 cups of water.
Add the chops and refrigerate for 30 minutes to a few hours. After brining, rinse well to remove extra salt.
If you brine, you have already salted the chops. Do not use the seasoning salt. Just some pepper and a sprinkle of paprika would be good.
⏰🌡️Time and Temperature
After about 5 minutes of searing in a pan, the pork chop will take about 20-25 minutes in the oven to reach 140°-145° internal temperature.
There are a number of variables that will affect the cooking time of thick-cut pork chops. The thickness, the duration of searing, the temperature of both the meat and oven, and the searing time.
The final temperature for pork chops: When I was young, the recommendations for cooking pork was 170° to kill Trichinosis. This has not been a problem in the US for decades, but old ideas die hard.
Yes, I cook my pork butt to 200° plus but that is a taste thing not for safety.
I like to cook pork chops to 145°-150°. My wife does not like any pink in pork, so I tend to go even a little higher to 155°. The FDA recommends 145° minimum with a 3-minute rest.
Rest at room temperature. This is the first secret to getting thick chops done right. An old trick but a goodie.
This is not ground meat, so it is safe to rest at room temperature for an hour or so. It will cook faster, be moister, and overall a good thing.
If you have the time to do this start looking at the temperature of the meat after about 15 minutes in the oven since it will be done faster. Remember you are cooking to a final temperature and not by time.
The second secret is the oven temperature. Many people will assume with thicker meat, you should use a higher temperature. The truth is the opposite.
Normally, with thinner pork chops, I use an oven temperature of 425°. We want a temperature of 25°-50° lower so the meat has time to get to the right internal temperature while not overcooking the surface.
The pan-searing is still needed to create a Maillard reaction which is the browning that adds lots of taste.
The Gravy
I so love gravy aka "The nectar of the gods".
I like to use a pork gravy base from Penzeys to make "pork broth". If you don't have the gravy base, you can use chicken or vegetable broth.
There are two basic ways to make gravy. You can make a roux by mixing flour with the grease in the pan and cooking for a few minutes. Or our simple way of mixing flour in some liquid and adding that to boiling fluid.
For more information on gravy, please visit How To Make Gravy at Home.
📖Pork Chop Recipes
How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops
🔪Instructions
Allow the pork chops to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional.
These center cut chops are 1 ½ inches thick and weigh 12 oz each. If there is a fat ring, trim it to ½ inch thick and slice it at about 1-inch intervals.
Season to taste with seasoning salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the seasoned pork chops. Sear both sides of the chops for 2-3 minutes until gettings some nice browning.
Transfer to the preheated oven and cook until an internal temperature of 145°-150°. About 20-25 minutes. Total cooking time will be variable due to the thickness of pork and the start temperature of the chops. Remove from pan and tent lightly with foil while doing the gravy phase.
Using pork gravy base, mix 2 cups of pork broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth. Whisk 4 tablespoons flour into one cup of the broth. Add the other one cup of your broth to the pan over medium heat. When boiling, slowly add the broth/flour mixture while continuously whisking.
Continue to whisk until thickened about 2-3 minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Thick Cut Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops - 1 ½ inch thick or more - about ¾ pounds each
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Lawry's Seasoning salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
For Gravy
- 2 teaspoons Penzeys pork gravy base - or you can use broth
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Allow pork chops to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional.
- These center cut chops are 1 ½ inches thick and weigh 12 oz each. If there is a fat ring, trim it to ½ inch thick and slice it at about 1-inch intervals.
- Season to taste with a seasoning salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering add the seasoned pork chops.
- Sear both sides of the chops for 2-3 minutes until gettings some nice browning.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and cook until an internal temperature of 145°-150° - about 20-25 minutes. Total cooking time will be variable due to the thickness of pork and start temperature of the chops.
- Remove from pan and tent lightly with foil while doing gravy phase.
- Using gravy base, mix 2 cups of pork broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth. Whisk 4 tablespoons flour into one cup of broth.
- Add the other one cup of your broth to the pan over medium heat. When boiling, slowly add the broth/flour mixture while continuously whisking.
- Continue to whisk until thickened about 2-3 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This is a recipe for thick pork chops which are at least 1 ½ inch thick. If less then use Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops.
- Use an oven-safe pan like cast iron.
- Brine if you have time. A suggested brine is 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Be sure to refrigerate. If you brine, do not use any seasoning with salt.
- With thick pork chops, the most important tip is to rest to room temperature before starting to cook-30 minutes minimum.
- Sear to almost the final color you want.
- Never cook by time. Cook to the final temperature you want. Remember it will increase a few degrees after removed from the oven.
- The gravy is optional but very nice. I like to use pork gravy base but if you don't have that, use chicken or vegetable broth.
Nutrition
Editor's Note: Originally published July 17, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Shqri
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!! This turned out perfectly on my first try and tasted EXACTLY like a high-end restaurant version we had. Now that we are in the pandemic, these recipes are appreciated all the more!!! Thank you so much!!!!!
Wendy
This is a great recipe the chops came out so tender!
Christine Mcfarlane
Did this recipe with 2 inch chop....followed your instructions and it was excelllent...thanks for your help
Vicki
Love it. Been cooking pork chops for years and first time I made them this way. Husband loved them. I seasoned different, I'm sodium restricted but the searing, then high heat gave a great flavor for thick chops.
Terri Rumsey
Cooked 4 chops about 1.5 inches thick tonight and they turned out perfectly! My husband said it was the best pork chop he ever had! Thank you!
Blackfeather
Hello!
This is a great recipe for thick cut pork chops. This was a different method for making a gravy. Nice. I tend to over salt so this was perfect.
I used the convection oven @ 400 degrees F for 20 min to finish them They turned out tough on top, maybe I pan seared too long. Next time I'll regular bake @425 degrees F. Served w/ Spaetzle and sauerkraut. It was delicious.
I do like your explanations for the hows and whys of preparing a dish and how to save money i.e. buying a whole pork roast. Makes sense.
In time I hope to get past the under/oversalting problem.
Thank you.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Blackfeather,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it worked well for you. The gravy method is so much easier than a roux so I rarely do a roux any more.
If the top of the chop was tough, ie overcooked, then you want to cook lower next time, not higher. You need more time for the heat to penetrate and not overcook the surface. So as a general rule, the thicker the meat, the lower the temperature. And as you mentioned, don't over sear.
I hope that helps a little and thanks for the note and rating. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Dan
Larry
I seared 1.5 inch chop on med hi for 2 minutes each side. Transferred to 400 degree oven.
145 internal temp came at 14 minutes. I think folks maybe over cooking at 25 minutes in oven?
Thanks, Larry
Scott
You lost me at " rest at room temperature for an hour or so ". This is a bad food safety practice, as well as proven silly by science as far as reducing cooking time to ANY appreciable degree. Any extra moisture you find in your meat from laying around for an hour is also a personal observation, rather than quantitative/qualitative data. Basically, it's am wholly exploded myth.
Otherwise, it's a decent enough basic recipe for folks who are new to cooking. Some complain that brining makes meat "mushy", generally more of an issue with poultry. Have you tried dry brining? A much simpler, cleaner method. Salt and rest in the refrigerator, then pull out, season and cook. No messy brine, no rinsing off the flavor you just tried to add, kind of no hassle really.
I appreciated the fact that you pointed out to not use salt in seasoning after brining. I would have probably put it in bold or caps, or repeated it several dozen times(lol) since this is a recipe for beginners who may not catch on that they are double salting the dish that way.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Scott,
Welcome to the blog.
I will make a few points.
1) It is safe for up to 2 hours in the 40-90 degree range per the FDA. Food is safe for up to 2 hours generally unless the environmental temperature is 90 degrees or above then it is one hour.
2) The only "studies" I have seen were mainly done individuals on one or two samples. Cooks Illustrated does have a small article about this topic suggest warming steak to 95 degrees in a low oven before cooking steak on the stovetop. A sort of reverse searing method. I find it helps on thick pieces of meat so I'm keeping it for thick cuts. If I see some real science on it, I might change. Nothing I have seen says it hurts.
3) Dry brining. I haven't tried it but will soon. It has come into its own the last 5 years or so. Most of my cooking is quick so the amount of time to dry brine is a lot more and I admit I'm stuck in my ways and can't organize myself that much. I total agree with the theory.
4) The use of salt after brining. Yep, a big mistake people make and I try to repeat it a few times. On turkey recipes, since most are already injected, I repeat the warning a lot... but they still do it. They take an injected turkey, brine and then salt it. You know the results.
Thanks for the note. I (and the FDA) disagree about the safety comment but everything else is very valid.
Dan
Rhonda King
Hi Dr Dan, “Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops” very easy & excellent recipe. Used bone-in, 1 1/2" chop. Thank you!
DrDan
Hi Rhonda,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love a good grilled chop.
Thanks so much for the note and rating.
DrDan
Ann
I've had two [2"] chops staring at me when I open the freezer for a few months; scared to cook them. I tried this and followed to the letter complete with the brine. I'm a huge cast iron skillet person and these things came out a #10. They were juicy, tender, beautifully browned and hands down, the best chops I have EVER had! I used a leave-in digital thermometer and took them out at 150 F. I served them after basting with some of the drippings. I couldn't believe they reached 150 F. after only 20 minutes. Perfection.
Thank-you for this recipe. Pork is relatively cheap in spring so I'll be cooking this many, many times.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Ann,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love a good chop. This recipe is just a logical method of cooking. Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
johnsacook
So I have found your blog and I am planning on using the recipe for my thick cut chops tonight. What I really want to know is, how tender will this make the chops. I have a family member who is dentally challenged and would like them to be able to eat them. Any ideas on how to cook tender without drying them out?
DrDan
Hi John,
Welcome to the bog.
Pork loin cuts like pork chops vary. We had a wonderfully tender 1 inch pork chop last night I cooked on the stovetop only. I cut it with a fork. BUT that is the exception. You need to have an almost guaranteed result for your situation.
I have two things for you and one other suggestion.
First, brine.
A brine is used to add moisture to meat like pork loin. A standard pork brine is 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. The salt is standard table salt. If using a different salt, you should adjust accordingly. For 1-4 hours. Rinse before cooking and do NOT add any more salt.
Second, watch the internal temperature closely. 145 (a little pink) to 155 (no pink) but not higher.
The other suggestion is to just not do pork chops. Do pork tenderloin which is almost always fork tender. You can "fake" a pork chop by cutting into medallions. Here is a grill version but you can easily do them stove top or pan sear to oven. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/easy-grilled-pork-tenderloin-medallions/
Hope that helps.
Dan
Sylvia
Truly enjoyed this. I have cooked thick cut pork chops before they did not turn out this well. I have to wonder how much of that is due to brining. thank you for sharing this recipe
DrDan
Hi Sylvia,
Welcome the blog.
You may be right that the brine did a lot for you. Pork chops are from the loin and it is very lean anymore, so a brine if you have time, is always a good thing. But the pan sear to oven technique tends to keep them moister if you're careful not to overcook.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Kelgirl
I usually dry out my chops. So I tried this recipe. What a hit! I had company show up when making them so my boyfriend and I shared with them. They were out of this world. The gracy was scrumptious and the chops juicy and delicious. I am now making them again. So good. Can't wait until they are done. Yum!
DrDan
Hi Kelli,
Welcome to the blog.
I love pork chops with gravy. Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Patti
Do you cover the pan when placed in the oven?
DrDan
Hi Patti,
Uncovered.
Dan
Joanne
Made this tonight, we all loved it, it was so so so so good!! Definitely adding to my recipe box! Thank you!
DrDan
He Joanne,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love pork chops. I just did the stovetop version tonight with gravy.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Angie in SoCal
Tried these tonight and they were delicious. Only had a 1/2 hr to brine but could tell the difference. Thanks!
Laura Zimmerman
Hey! Trying these tonight but of note, your recipe instructions seem to duplicate the gravy instructions with some variances?? Maybe I’m just not processing it right but I’ve read it through several times and still I’m confused! Oh well- I have enough skill to make a gravy that will turn out but you may want to edit for clarity- thanks! My kitchen smells good already having finished browning my chops!
DrDan
Hi Laura,
Welcome to the blog.
And thanks for the proofread. It must have been that way for over 2 years and this is a popular recipe. I did a fast edit just now to fix that. But this recipe looks like it needs a rewrite. I will do that in the next few days.
Thanks again.
Dan
Kate krokowski
For those who think these pork chops are too thick treat them like a steak. I don't like thin steak either. I like good tender moist meat not shoe leather.
DrDan
Hi Kate,
First, sorry for the delayed reply.
When I go thick, I try to skip the meal before or talk my wife into splitting the meat. But truely, in a recipe like this, the center of the meat is the star.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Troy
Gave this a try, turned out really well. I paired it with some oven roasted red potatoes/onions. After letting the potatoes bake for about 30 min. Seared the chops and then laid them on top of the potatoes to finish roasting in oven.
Rebecca Balleweg
I tried this recipe. I followed it as instructed. It was definitely very good. Is give it a 4 only because I felt that the brine wasn't quite salty enough. However it did make the chops moist and juicy.
DrDan
Hi Rebecca,
There is a range of salt that is recommended for a brine so you could up it a little but I would suggest just adding a little during cooking since it was moist.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jennifer Takagi
These are the absolute best pork chops I've ever eaten! Thanks for the recipe.
DrDan
Hi Jennifer,
I do love a good pork chop.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Adrienne Ranney
Hi Dr Dan,
I made these chops this evening and they turned out great, so moist and delicious! I didn't brine since I never manage to plan ahead that far. I pretty much followed the recipe as written and I made the gravy too, I'm so impressed with myself, LOL. I've made a few of your recipes and they always turn out delicious. And I love your dogs, they are gorgeous.
Joanna
I make pork chops a lot and this recipe was one of my favorite! I used bone-in center-cut one inch chops. They only took about 10 minutes to cook in the oven after I browned them on the stove. I took them out at 148° and let them rest for 10 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe.
DrDan
Hi Joanna,
I do a lot of pork chops also. If you are at one inch thick you could also do stove top only https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/30-minute-fried-pork-chops-with-gravy/ . But either work at 1 inch.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Jayson Zook
Yummy! I'm doing this today with Caramelized Onion and Bacon Spaetzle, Honey and Brown Butter Nut Squash, and German Potato Salad. But I'll be using a brown gravy for the Chops and Noodles.
Kim
May I eat at your house?😶😄
Arlene
I generally do not like pork chops but I had these amazing 1 3/4 inch thick chops and tried this recipe. They were not only tender but the addition of the gravy was excellent. I did brine the chops. Will definitely use this recipe again.
DrDan
Hi Arlene,
I do like to do a brine in a lean pork like this is possible. It seems to help if you have the time. And pork gravy is heavenly.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Mike Murray
Hi Doc!
New to the site and love what I see. Always loved pork chops and gravy(with noodles)
and this one looks like a winner; Gonna try it this week.
Had my first pan seared/oven roasted Shell last night & it was superb!
Looking forward to trying more of your favorites.
Thanks,
Mike
DrDan
Hi Mike,
Welcome to the site. I really like this recipe but my favorite pork chop with gravy recipe is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/30-minute-fried-pork-chops-with-gravy/. It is so easy and my wife is in love with it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Ben
A most excellent recipe, especially for a novice looking to improve their game in the kitchen. Step-by-step, and photos were spot on. Caution, watch how hot the oil gets. I did not quite understand the 'shimmer' comment. I cheated on the gravy and used the jar stuff from store (Heinz), added to the skillet to get all the good stuff and flavor into the gravy. Worked out superb. With mashed potatoes, and veggies, the meal was outstanding. I tried the brine for 35 minutes- chops were moist. DEFINATELY recommend the brine step. Minus one star for size of chops- wife and I just could not eat it all. However, made for great microwave meal at work. Very much thanks for your hard work to post this recipe. Now a keeper in our house.
DrDan
Hi Ben
Thanks for the note.
I do thinner ones on the stove top that is the standard here. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/30-minute-fried-pork-chops-with-gravy/
You should work on your own gravy. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/how-to-make-gravy-101/ You will like it better and it really is simple.
I agree... just a little too much meat for me and the brine is a good idea especially with a thicker cut.
Dan