14 Mistakes You’re Making With Pork Chops

The humble pork chop is one of those cuts of meat that tends to get overlooked at the butcher counter. Cut from the loin of the pig, which is the stretch of muscle and bone that runs parallel to the spine from shoulder to hip, these are lean yet tender cuts that are super versatile — working just as wonderfully whether they’re grilled or pan-seared, and whether they’re paired with seasonal summer fruit or part of a warmly spiced fall dish.

The oft-underrated pork chop is actually one of the more affordable cuts of meat available at the grocery store, but even though it’s significantly cheaper than most cuts of steak, it has the potential to be just as tasty and satisfying. These bad boys can be served up restaurant-level juicy and delicious at home … if they’re done right.

The problem is that a lot can go wrong. Maybe you haven’t found a good pork chop recipe that’s wowed you, or maybe your meat keeps turning out dry and underwhelming. We’re here to make sure that never happens again. Here are some common mistakes to avoid, because once you whip up a really good, perfectly executed pork chop, it’ll change your mind about chops forever.

Quality matters when it comes to pork. Selecting a good-quality chop will make a significant difference in the final outcome of your dish, because where the pig comes from and how it’s raised ultimately affects the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of its meat.

In terms of sourcing, the surest bet will be to buy pork that comes from local farms or specialty or independent butchers who are transparent about their sourcing. Heritage-breed pigs (like Kurobuta pork, for example) are somewhat of the gold standard, which are bred from a long, strong line of genetics and roam free outside to forage.

If you’re buying your pork chops at the grocery store, there are several things you can look for to ensure you get a good, fresh piece of meat. Pork that’s bright pink, or almost red in some cases, means better meat. If you’re able to give the pork chop a poke, it should feel firm to the touch rather than mushy or soft. The fat cap along the outer edge of the chop should be solid and white rather than loose or off-color. You’ll also want to look for marbling — those beautiful specks of white fat throughout the meat — because fat means flavor.

When it comes to cooking off a successful pork chop, the thicker the cut of meat you’re able to find, the more delicious it’s likely to turn out. That’s not only because you get more of the meat itself to enjoy, but because that additional thickness leaves less room for error.

Since pork chops are already lean, they’re very easy to dry out if not prepared correctly. Especially if you’re going for pork chops with a crispy sear, the problem with cuts that are too thin is that the inside of the chop tends to finish cooking before the outside of the chop can get that sear you want. A thicker cut of meat allows you to cook the meat more evenly as a whole, achieving a crispy, golden sear on the exterior without overcooking the inside of the chop in the process.

For thickness, anything about an inch or below may be a little too thin to work with. Look for pork chops that are ideally around 1½ inches thick (or even more if you can find them; the more meat the merrier).

This is an important choice. And it’s not to say you can’t also make a great boneless chop, but if we’re going for overall success rate and ultimate deliciousness, bone-in is always the way to go.

What many don’t realize is that a boneless pork chop isn’t just a bone-in pork chop with the bone removed; these two types of pork chops are actually two totally different cuts of meat that come from different parts of the loin. Because the loin of the pig itself is so large, the cuts vary in texture and flavor depending on what part of the loin they come from (similar to a cow). Boneless pork chops are cut from an area that’s more lean and dense, while bone-in chops typically have more marbling and fat caps and tend to be more forgiving.

So why is bone-in better? Because the bone acts as somewhat of a built-in moisture preserver. The bone itself slows down the heat transfer to the meat near it, which keeps it juicier as it cooks and results in a tastier pork chop. And on top of that, the natural collagen in the bone enhances the meat with a richer flavor as it heats up.

This is a long-debated topic, but it can help ensure a delicious final product. Allowing your meat to sit for a bit at room temperature before you begin searing, grilling, or roasting it can be an important step to getting the cook on it just right. 

Cooking a cold pork chop will not necessarily impact its overall flavor or texture, but it will impede your ability to cook the meat completely evenly. The issue isn’t the overall cooking time itself, but the fact that more time on the heat means a higher risk of the meat drying out before it’s fully cooked.

You don’t necessarily need to take your pork chops out a whole hour or two before you’re ready to cook. Usually, 20 or 30 minutes will do the job to get them to a more manageable starting temperature. Just grab them from the fridge while you prep the rest of your dish, and they’ll be ready to sear when you are.

A good brine can make or break a really delicious, juicy pork chop, and in this case, the extra preparation step is totally worth it. Think of brining as a form of insurance against this lean meat’s tendency to dry out or overcook. A brine acts as a one-two punch: It tenderizes the meat, helping it lock in more moisture and juiciness, and it also seasons the inside of the meat so that you get more flavor within your bite, rather than just on the crust.

You can either dry brine or wet brine a pork chop. Dry brines primarily rely on salt (and any desired aromatics) to sort of suction out the pork’s natural juices and redistribute that moisture into the muscle fibers. They’re great if you want a really crisp sear because they leave the exterior surface of the meat dry. Wet brines typically consist of a mix of salt, sugar, and aromatics dissolved in water, which the meat is submerged in to add more moisture to its interior. Ultimately, any brine is helpful because you’re simply imparting more flavor and better texture to the final product.

If you’re short on time, brining your pork chops a couple of hours ahead will get the job done, and even 30 minutes will make a difference!

A common mistake many people make with pork chops is not seasoning the meat quite enough. Because the nature of the cut is lean and there’s only so much fat or marbling you can get on a pork chop, the meat tends to taste more bland and doesn’t contain much rich, natural flavor. So it’s super important to season the meat well (as in, probably a little more seasoning than you think) — especially when it comes to salt, since this ingredient dissolves and absorbs into the actual muscle, adding seasoning from the inside out.

If you opt for a brine, that will definitely help with this issue, but you’ll still want to season the meat after you brine. Be careful not to overdo it with the salt since there’s already a lot of salt in the brining process. If you’re simply doing a quick dry seasoning rub, then a good rule of thumb is around ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for every inch of thickness on the pork chop. From there, go with half that amount for any other added spices or herbs, whether it’s garlic powder, dried thyme, smoked paprika, or even brown sugar.

Hopefully you’ve realized by now that fat equals flavor, and thus it’s essential to a delicious chop … so don’t trim it off! Particularly with a pork chop, where very prominent marbling or a big, solid fat cap can be hard to come by, you’ll want to keep every bit of that you can to maximize the flavor of your pork chop.

Look for the best fat cap you can find and keep it where it is when you cook your pork chop — the fat will not only add more richness and flavor to the whole cooking process, but it’ll render as it heats, creating a natural liquid that’ll help keep the pork juicy and provide some tasty goodness to baste with while you cook.

If you do happen to find an extra-thick fat cap that’s more than you want to work with, another thing you can do is render any excess fat down in a hot pan. Then you can save that liquid gold and use it in the future as lard for cooking or baking up other delicious dishes at home.

This is another important one, especially if your chosen cooking method is to sear your pork chops. Whether you let your meat sit out at room temperature or not, and whether you dry or wet brine or neither, the first key to a successful sear is making sure the surface of your pork chop is dry.

Like most meat, there will be some natural moisture that builds up on the surface of your pork chop. And any moisture that’s on the surface when it hits the pan will not only prevent the exterior from developing that lovely brown crisp, but sometimes it can even begin to steam your meat in the process, which isn’t ideal. 

All you need to do is pat your chops with a paper towel, nice and firmly on each side, to absorb any mositure. If you brined your chops, do this after you brine and before you cook. If you’re just doing a quick seasoning rub, pat them off before you add the seasoning, and then again afterward, right before you drop your chops in the pan.

Patience is a virtue, and this is where it comes into play in your pork chop cooking journey. The key to achieving that initial sear or an overall effective cook on your chops is to make sure whatever cookware you’re using is properly heated. If you’re cooking pork chops in a cold pan, it’ll take too long to reach the temperature it needs to before it risks drying out.

So how do you know when your pan is hot enough, but not too hot? First, you’ll heat up your pan over medium to medium-high heat and add your cooking oil or fat. Then, wait! Give it a few minutes to get nice and hot. Once the oil starts to easily glide around the surface of the pan and it’s just lightly shimmering — you may see just a bit of smoke coming off the top, but it shouldn’t be very visible — then your pan is hot enough, and your pork chops are ready to go down.

Something with a heavier bottom construction, like a cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel pan, will heat up nicely and should maintain an even heat throughout, which is very important for cooking your chop well. Try to avoid thin or lower-quality pans that might conduct heat unevenly or lose their heat quickly.

Various pork chop cooking methods require various levels of heat, so it’s crucial to use the right type of oil or fat that’s meant to withstand whatever temperature you’re cooking at. Not all cooking fats are created equal. Some are great for flavor or finishing, while others are more neutral and meant for high-heat cooking.

If you’re cooking pork at high temperatures, be sure to use an oil or fat with a high smoke point. This means it can withstand more heat before it starts to smoke and break down, which can affect the flavor of whatever you’re cooking and potentially release toxins into your food. If you’re searing pork chops and need your cooking oil to get very hot, stick to high-heat oils like avocado oil (520-degree Fahrenheit smoke point), ghee (485 degrees Fahrenheit), or grapeseed oil (480 degrees Fahrenheit).

Avoid butter and olive oil if you’re using high heat, as both start to burn at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re taking more of a low-and-slow approach to your chops, those will definitely work — as well as lard (aka, pork fat), beef tallow, or even sesame oil if you want to incorporate a specific flavor.

That beautiful brown crust is arguably one of the biggest flavor contributors to a well-cooked pork chop. But in order to get that nice, even crust, you need to give it some time to develop and lock in. Patience, remember?

Many people throw their meat in the pan and then, whether they’re impatient, distrustful, or just too curious, they can’t resist the urge to move it around or flip it over (way too soon) to see how it’s looking. The problem is that if you move or flip your chop too soon, you jeopardize the whole process — and that process is the Maillard reaction.

This is a chemical reaction that occurs when you heat proteins or sugars, and it’s responsible for the brown color and savory aromas we love when we tear into a piece of meat. A good indicator that you’ve given your pork chops enough time is when they start to naturally release from the pan by themselves, rather than being stuck. If you have to force the flip, give it some more time while that delicious Maillard reaction develops.

This is true for many different ingredients, pork chops included. Whether you’re cooking them on the stove or in the oven, if you place too many chops in one pan it can lower the temperature of the pan, messing up your cook time, and can lead to the meat essentially steaming itself with any moisture it releases. And while there are many ways to cook a pork chop, no one really wants a steamed one, right?

Similar to cooking moisture-wicked pork chops or fidgeting with the meat too soon, overcrowding the pan will also prevent the browning you’re looking for. It’s obviously more time-efficient to get everything cooking at once, but resist the urge to cram all of your chops in together. If you’re cooking more than can comfortably fit in a pan with space in between, then you can cook them in smaller batches — or better yet, get two pans going at once so they’ll be cooking on the same timeline.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Pork chops are extremely easy to overcook. Which is why one of the most crucial things to pay attention to is their temperature. It’s a thin line between a perfectly juicy pork chop and a dry, tough one — and you can get from one to the other before you know it. 

If you’re following a pork chop recipe, one pitfall to avoid is solely basing your cooking time on whatever your recipe says. While recipes are amazing tools that can obviously be successful, there are so many factors that go into exactly when a piece of meat is done cooking, and so many potential differences that could exist between the cooking conditions where the recipe was tested and those at your home.

It’s best to rely on the actual temperature of the meat rather than the length of time you cook it, and using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure success. It’ll take the guesswork out of “perfectly cooked meat,” and you can simply pull it off the heat when it reaches your ideal temperature. What might that be? If you like your pork medium-rare, pull it at 145 degrees Fahrenheit. For medium, 150 degrees, and for medium well, 155 degrees. And don’t worry, it’s okay for cooked pork to be a little pink!

The last and final stage of the pork chop cooking process, which many sadly choose to disregard, is letting your meat rest after you pull it off the heat. But this is just as important a mistake to avoid as all the others. It’s understandable — you finally nailed that perfectly cooked pork chop, and you can’t wait to cut into it and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But you just need to hold tight another five to 10 minutes for the perfect chop to rest!

Why is it so important for pork chops to rest before you cut into them? It all comes back to the juices. While your meat cooks, moisture inside the muscle fibers naturally pulls toward the edges, which isn’t where you want it, because it’ll just spill onto your plate. Once the chops are off the heat, they just need a little time for the muscle fibers to relax again so the essential juices can get back to where they should be to make your meat juicy and tender.