Let's talk pork chops...

[JSpin]

The pork chop has long been a challenging cook for me. The chops I've nailed are as good as anything I've ever made. Yet, I've fucked up more than I've nailed. For a long time, I treated the chop like a steak, but struggled to find consistency. Like a steak, would season it and let it come to room temp, then on to the grill.

Cooking with high-ish heat on the grill, the bone tends to act like a heat sink, and you can end up with undercooked meat near the bone. And with a t-bone chop, you're cooking two different meats that need different cooking times.

My GF has been out of town for about 10 days, and I've been cooking pork chops damn near every night trying to get them figured out. I finally feel like I'm getting there. My grill is in rough shape at the moment, so I've been playing with my cast iron on the stove. Sear it off in the cast iron, finish it off in the oven on a cookie rack. This method has been putting out some pretty bangin pork chops, consistently.

I have one more in the fridge for tomorrow night. I think I'm going to use the same technique, but not let it come up to room temp. Season it, then back in the fridge, and into the pan when I'm ready to cook. It'll spend more time in the oven which should let the crust develop a bit more.

I whipped this one up for dinner tonight, and though it was not my absolute best, it was very very good:





Please share your pork chop tips!

[cepx111]

I can't do pink pork chops.

I will only eat them well done or push'em way on past well done till they are fork tender.

My preference is floured & fried then slow simmered in gravy till fork tender.

[JSpin]

I'm all about pork cooked to medium, but I also realize most people are not. There is a widow between pink and overcooked, but it's difficult to find.

[B.A.Carty]

I go 2 methods...
really thick, reverse sear style with a dry rub
Really really thin, flash fry them almost.

I grew up poor and have had pork chops every which way and I feel those two ways are the best ways.

[H.G. Wells]

Mine turn out OK on the grill, think brine first like a chicken and do not over cook.
But most of mine (like last night) are dredged in seasoned flour, pan fired to light golden then pulled to make room for brown gravy. Mushrooms, onions, butter, flour from the dredge and chicken broth. Then back in the pan for an hour in the oven at 250 or in a crock pot. I have done the crock pot method for a big group using thin chops and they would fall apart coming out of the pot.

[440Cuda]

That chop looks mighty pink for my liking, but I agree, they go from pink to dry pretty darn quick.

I buy them thick, with the bone. 1” is marginal, 1.5” is much better.

I throw them in a hot grill, sear both sides, then turn down the heat, baste with a little butter. Cook to 160 as indicated on my thermometer.

[RJAZE]

1.5" thick.
Seasoning salt both sides then let sit overnight in the fridge.

Get grill to medium heat.
Stand chops vertical on bone side. No joke.

Cover grill and walk away.
Come back in 45 minutes.
Remove chops, let rest for 10 minutes.
Enjoy.

Above recipe from a butcher that raises his own pork and beef.

[chevyman0429]

I roll mine in egg then pat them done with crushed saltine crackers pan fry in oil to brown breading then in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes come out killer! When cooking on the grill only flip them once and when the pork chop color stuff comes to the top get them off the grill their done! Not really sure how to describe the stuff that shows up on top of them but it kinda looks like light brown fat!

[JSpin]

Originally Posted by 440Cuda

That chop looks mighty pink for my liking, but I agree, they go from pink to dry pretty darn quick.

I buy them thick, with the bone. 1” is marginal, 1.5” is much better.

I throw them in a hot grill, sear both sides, then turn down the heat, baste with a little butter. Cook to 160 as indicated on my thermometer.

What youre seeing in the picture is also the closest meat to the bone. Most of the chop was not pink.

[Honduraschris]

I love pork chops w/bone but they are hard to cook that are moist, cooked all the way through (no pink). So, I’ll do the pork chops a few times a month and slip in cooking a nice loin a few times a month. Makes up for the chops

2 lb Pork loin

Season any way you desire

Shove in a preheated 450 degree oven for 45 minutes.... no pink .... more juicy than any chop you will ever get. My wife can even cook it

[ndmp40]

Originally Posted by chevyman0429

I roll mine in egg then pat them done with crushed saltine crackers pan fry in oil to brown breading then in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes come out killer! When cooking on the grill only flip them once and when the pork chop color stuff comes to the top get them off the grill their done! Not really sure how to describe the stuff that shows up on top of them but it kinda looks like light brown fat!

I sometimes brown and bake as well. When I am not grilling them, that is.

I had a chorizo stuffed pork chop at The Mission in Scottsdale recently, absolutely perfection....

[ndmp40]

No undercooked pork for me. Dont care for the taste either.

[B.A.Carty]

I don't understand the no pink thing?
Is it just old school thinking? or that's how you grew up? scared?

Suggesting the cook temp to medium has been around probably for 10-12 years now and nothing has changed/no big issues.

Big money restaurants have been cooking pork for 20-25 years (or so my brother says) unless specifically told other wise and once again. no big issue.

[Hickoryhound]

Originally Posted by Honduraschris

I love pork chops w/bone but they are hard to cook that are moist, cooked all the way through (no pink). So, I’ll do the pork chops a few times a month and slip in cooking a nice loin a few times a month. Makes up for the chops

2 lb Pork loin

Season any way you desire

Shove in a preheated 450 degree oven for 45 minutes.... no pink .... more juicy than any chop you will ever get. My wife can even cook it

A good thick bone in blade chop.( normally a cheaper cut) works great in the oven just like you described too....and it's hard to screw up and rarely dries out because of the fat content.

We put them on a cooling rack on baking pan with a little water in the bottom to avoid the smoke from the fat rendering dry and burning in the pan.....cuts down on the high heat smoke from that.normally just 1 flip during that 45 minute cook.

An air fryer at 400 on a chop like that works great too.....but take it outside,it will smoke like a grill but it's worth it

[Honduraschris]

Originally Posted by Hickoryhound

A good thick bone in blade chop.( normally a cheaper cut) works great in the oven just like you described too....and it's hard to screw up and rarely dries out because of the fat content.

We put them on a cooling rack on baking pan with a little water in the bottom to avoid the smoke from the fat rendering dry and burning in the pan.....cuts down on the high heat smoke from that.normally just 1 flip during that 45 minute cook.

An air fryer at 400 on a chop like that works great too.....but take it outside,it will smoke like a grill but it's worth it

Cool I’ll try the blade chop the same way to see how it works out.

My dad just just moved to Florida and is going to get my outdoor grill back working. I might not cook any more meat in the house ever again