Juicy Oven Baked Pork Chops
Published 1/10/2022
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These are truly the ultimate oven baked pork chops! They are made super tender from a delicious pork chop brine and baked to perfection in the oven.
In this post, we’ll teach you how to make baked pork chops perfectly every single time plus tips and tricks on how you can make them your own.
ALWAYS Tender Oven Baked Pork Chops
That’s right, this oven baked pork chop recipe is always tender and juicy with help from a flavorful brine. You seriously can’t beat the taste of these pork chops — the whole family will love them! Never have a dry pork chop again.
Why make this baked bone in pork chops recipe?
Super flavorful pork chops: these baked pork chops are seriously so juicy and flavorful.
Perfectly cooked every time: we’ll teach you how to bake pork chops perfectly every time without over or undercooking them!
High protein: per serving, these pork chops pack in 48g protein.
What is a Pork Chop?
Pork chops are sliced cutlets from pork loin. They are a leaner cut of pork with some fat marbling that come pre-portioned. You can either buy pork chops bone in or boneless. They come in varying thicknesses and are widely available at most U.S. grocery stores.
What kind of pork chops do I need for this recipe?
This baked pork chops recipe calls for a thicker, bone in pork chop. We recommend going to your local butcher or the meat counter at your local grocery store and asking for 2 lbs. of thick-cut bone in pork chops.
We used 4 pork chops in this recipe. So, each one weighed about 1/2 lb. and were approximately 1.25-inches thick.
Why Bone In Pork Chops?
When it comes to pork chops, we much prefer bone in pork chops compared to boneless pork chops. They are typically thicker and they seem to have much more flavor. This flavor comes from the additional fat that is often on bone in pork chops that boneless chops don’t have.
So, when in doubt, make baked bone in pork chops every time!
Cuts of Pork
Not sure where all the different cuts of pork come from on the pig? We made it easy. Check out more details on everything pork in our u003ca href=u0022https://fitfoodiefinds.com/best-pork-recipes/u0022u003efavorite pork recipes round up!u003c/au003e
How to Bake Pork Chops in Oven
Here’s a quick rundown for how to cook pork chops in the oven. Make sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the full ingredient list and written recipe.
Quick Pork Chop Brine
First, make the pork chop brine. Pour water and salt into a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Whisk the 2 ingredients together until the salt dissolves.
Add the apple juice, peppercorns, orange peel, and bay leaves to the brine and mix again.
Prep Pork Chops
Prepare the pork chops by patting each pork chop with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and then score the fatty part of the pork chops a few times to avoid any buckling during the bake time.
Brine Pork Chops
Place the pork chops in a plastic bag and pour the brine over the pork. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
#1 tip for the best brined pork chops
Let. Them. Sit.
We recommend letting your pork chops sit in the brine in the refrigerator for at least 30-45 minutes.
Make sure not to brine your pork chops too long or else they could come out chewy and tough.
Try it!
Best Pork Chop Brine
This u003cstrongu003equick brine for pork chopsu003c/strongu003e only takes 30 minutes and you’ll never want to make your pork chops any other way!
Why should I brine my pork chops?
We have an entire post that goes through why you should brine your pork chops before baking, but there are 3 reasons why we recommend this:
- Flavor: brining your pork infuses it with salty deliciousness. You can think of it as an intense marinade or flavor bath.
- Texture: brining helps break down the toughness of your meat leaving the texture as smooth as can be when you bite into it.
- Moisture: the salt actually helps the pork chops retain moisture, which in turn makes the texture pretty dang delicious.
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare seasoned bread crumbs
While the pork chops are sitting in the brine, add the garlic powder, brown sugar, paprika and bread crumbs to a bowl and mix until combined.
We prefer a dry rub + breadcrumb seasoning instead of a sauce or marinade for these chops because this is what gives your oven baked pork chops a crispy outside after baking.
Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle half the mixture over the pork chops, flip and pour the remaining mixture over the other side of the pork chops. Be sure to pat the dry rub into the pork chops.
Bake Pork Chops
Place the pork chops on the baking sheet or pan with a lip and drizzle them with olive oil.
Bake the pork chops for 10 minutes at 400ºF and then flip the pork chops over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Broiler Time
Turn the oven to broil and broil the pork chops for 1-3 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to keep a close eye so they don’t burn! Check the internal temperature, it should be around 140ºF.
So, how long to bake pork chops at 400?
We recommend baking 1 – 1.5-inch thick pork chops at 400ºF for a total of 15 minutes. Then, to get that crispy outside, you can broil them for 1-3 minutes on high.
Let Rest, then Enjoy!
Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes so that they can continue to cook and reach 145ºF.
Baked Pork Chops Internal Temperature
The best way to know if your pork chops are done is by measuring the internal temperature. Everyone likes to eat their pork chops slightly differently, and cooking time can vary based on the method. Some like it well done and some like it medium-rare.
So, below you will find internal temperatures corresponding to doneness:
- 145-150ºF – medium-rare
- 150-155ºF – medium
- 155-160ºF – medium-well
- 160+ºF – well done
Remember to always let your pork chops rest for at least 5 minutes after removing them from heat so they can continue to rise in temperature by 5ºF.
recommendation
Meat Thermometer
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Quick Q & A
We recommend baking pork chops in the oven uncovered so that they get a little crispy on the outside.
Cook pork chops in the oven at 400ºF for around 15 minutes and then broil them for 1-3 minutes after.
The internal temperature of pork needs to be at least 145ºF.
Let pork chops rest for around 5 minutes after baking so that they can continue cooking 5ºF more. They will also become nice and juicy as they sit.
Cooking pork chops in the oven will result in super juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside cooked pork chops.
What to Serve with Baked Pork Chops
Round out the perfect meal with any of these delicious side dish options (we’re talking green beans, mashed potatoes, rice, and more) that pair well with baked pork chops:
How to Store Leftover Pork Chops
Our biggest tip when storing baked pork chops is to let them cool completely before refrigerating. So, let the chops cool, transfer them into an air-tight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Ultimate Oven Baked Pork Chops
Ingredients
Pork Chops Brine
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup salt
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- Peel of a medium orange
- 1 bay leaf
Pork Chops
- 4 bone-in pork chops, ~2-lbs., 1 ¼-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- First, make the brine. Pour water and salt into a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Whisk the 2 ingredients together until the salt dissolves.
- Add the apple juice, peppercorns, orange peel, and bay leaves to the brine and mix again. Set aside.
- Prepare the pork chops by patting each pork chop with a paper towel and then score the fatty part of the pork chops a few times to avoid any bucking during the bake time.
- Place the pork chops in a plastic bag and pour the brine over the pork. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
- While the pork chops are sitting in the brine, add the garlic powder, brown sugar, paprika black pepper, and bread crumbs to a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle half the garlic powder mixture over the pork chops, flip and pour the remaining mixture over the other side of the pork chops. Be sure to pat the dry rub into the pork chops.
- Place the pork chops on the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil.
- Bake the pork chops for 10 minutes at 400ºF and then flip the pork chops over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil and broil the pork chops for 1-3 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to keep a close eye so they don’t burn! Check the internal temperature, it should be around 140ºF.
- Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes so that they can continue to cook and reach 145ºF.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
