Pork chops can be effortless and delicious, but first you need to understand a few things about the pork that’s sold in supermarkets. Pigs in the US have been selectively bred to be very lean over the past fifty years. According to the National Pork Board, a 3 ounce serving of pork tenderloin has 3 grams of fat, which is .1 gram LESS than skinless chicken breast! It also has 15% less cholesterol than chicken breast.
While all this might make your cardiologist happy, it comes at the expense of flavor and moistness. I’m sure you’ve all had a pork chop at some point that was like eating damp cardboard: dry, mealy and flavorless. That’s because today’s lean pork doesn’t cope well with the high internal temperatures recommended by traditional pork chop recipes.
This was probably in large part due to the fact that until recently, the USDA recommended cooking pork until it reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. According to the USDA, Trichinella spiralis (one of the main concerns of eating undercooked pork), is neutralized after 1 minute at 140 degrees F, so why on earth would they tell you to cook it 20 degrees higher? Thankfully they seem to have seen the error in their thinking, and last year, they revised the safe cooking temperature of whole cuts of pork down to 145 degrees F, that’s still 5 degrees higher than it really needs to be, but it’s understandable that they’d err on the safe side.
So what can you do to ensure you get a moist, tender, flavorful pork chop?
- Brine it – One of my secrets to getting a flavorful juicy pork chop every time, is to brine it in a solution of salt and sugar. In the same way that it benefits lean meats like turkey, brining your pork adds flavor and moisture to the meat, lending a helping hand to even the leanest of chops.
- Don’t overcook it – While you have to decide for yourself what temperatures you’re comfortable cooking your meat to, I tend to cook pork chops to 141 degrees and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Buy heritage pork – If you can afford it, try finding pork chops that come from a heritage breed of pig such as Berkshire(a.k.a. Kurobuta) or Ibérico. Heritage breeds haven’t undergone the selective breeding aimed at reducing the fat content of pork. They’re expensive, and may not be as healthy, but they certainly taste better.
- Use rib chops – As with most meats, tenderness in pork chops often comes at the cost of flavor. I like using pork rib chops because they have more fat than a loin chop, but less connective tissue than a blade chop, helping them strike a great balance between the two ends of the spectrum.
Ingredients
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4
pork rib chops (1 inch thick)
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2
tablespoons
dark brown sugar
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2
tablespoons
salt
-
4
cups
water
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1
large clove
garlic (smashed)
-
1
tablespoon
vegetable oil
-
1
large
onion (sliced thinly)
-
2
cloves
garlic (minced)
-
1
cup
dry white wine
-
2
tablespoons
honey
-
1
tablespoon
whole grain mustard
Steps
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In a gallon size sealable freezer bag, add the sugar, salt, garlic and water. Seal the bag and swish it around to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add the pork, press out as much air as you can, then seal the bag. Let this sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
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Remove the pork chops from the brine and use paper towels to remove as much moisture from the surface of the pork chops as you can. If there's water on the surface of the pork chops, they will not brown.
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Add the oil to the pan and heat over medium high heat. Place the pork chops in the pan while the pan is still cold. Because the pork chops are brined with sugar, they'll burn before they cook through if you put them into a hot pan.
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Fry the pork chops undisturbed until they are golden brown on one side and have gone from pink to beige about halfway up the sides.
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Flip the pork chops over and fry the second side until well browned and an instant read thermometer reads 141 degrees F (60.5 C). Transfer them to a plate and let them rest.
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Drain the excess oil out of the pan, and then add the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft.
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Add the wine, honey and mustard and then turn up the heat to boil off the alcohol and thicken the glaze.
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When the glaze is nice and thick, add the pork chops back to the pan and flip them over repeatedly to coat them with the glaze. Once there is no liquid left in the pan, the pork chops are done. Top with the caramelized onions and and serve with mashed potatoes.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Max, it’s the brine that gives the chop it’s flavor and juiciness, so you could certainly forgo the sauce. If you want you can add some more spices to the brine to give the pork even moe flavor (Chinese 5 spice, or curry powder are good options).
Max Tan says
Hi Marc …i tried it both! (with and without the sauce) YUMMM!!!!! Major props and thanks for responding. I really appreciate you sharing your recipes and what other options/methods we can use. I might try to see if i can do this via the oven and still get the same flavor. Any thoughts how long at what temperature this can be done in the oven? (without the sauce) 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Max, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! You could do it in the oven, but I’m not sure you’ll be able to get as nice of a sear on the outside (you could try preheating a cast iron skillet in the oven). For temperature you have two options, go at high temperature for a short period of time, or go slow and low. Because this is brined I’d probably go with a high temperature for a short period of time (like a steak).
Conner Sims says
Love the recipe
Conner Sims says
Love the recipe.
Conner Sims says
Love the recipe
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Conner, glad to hear it!
Joanne says
I made this exactly per your instructions and it was delicious! I renamed it “The Best Pork Chops I Have Ever Made”. Thanks so much for yet another perfect (and easy to follow) recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
You’re welcome Joanne, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for dropping by to let me know!
Cecilia says
I LOVE this recipe! It is sooo good! For most of my life I thought that I didn’t like pork chops because I don’t like dry meat. I had never had pork chops that weren’t dry, so naturally I thought that is the texture. Wrong! This recipe makes the meat so moist. It’s delicious. I will say that I tried the recipe with Dijon mustard and the whole grain mustard, my boyfriend and I agreed that the Dijon mustard is slightly better. 😊
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cecilia, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this! I grew up eating dry pork chops too, but like most things I don’t like, it turned out to be the way it was made (not that my mom was a bad cook).😆
Jennifer says
Hi Marc! Can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂 Do you think muscovado sugar would work? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes, absolutely! I hope you enjoy it!
Jennifer says
Thank you, Marc! No doubt we’ll love it 🙂 We are true fans of your No Recipes!
Marc Matsumoto says
You’re welcome! This is an oldie but goodie, so I hope you enjoy it!