Help! I cannot cook pork chops - I always ruin them!

Poor Craythur

No matter what way I try be it pan fry, grill or oven, I always end up with tough pork chops, even marinated ones! And what's tricky is that pork needs to be cooked thoroughly unlike steak so it's hard to judge.

I have never had a nicely cooked pork chop. I have some in the fridge that I'd like to have for dinner.

Has anyone got any tips they like to share? The chops I have are about 1/2" to 3/4" thick.

Thanks!

breakfast roll

When I cook pork chops I usually leave the fat on when cooking for the flavour. A small tip to stop the meat from curling up in the pan is to make small incisions into the fat of the pork chop.

olaola

I do them on the BBQ, really makes the most out of an aul pork chop!
Turn them a few times, keep the juices flowing through. Let them rest. And don't be worried if they're a *smidgin* underdone - pork doesn't have the parasites it used to have. They really don't take too long to cook.

CJhaughey

1 min high 220c and 9 mins low 180c each side.
I also put slices of apple on them to keep them moist.

fred funk }{

Thin chops tent to be like rubber. I usually go for big fat ones, haven't cooked a dry one yet.

onway

I got a lovely recipe for pork chops from a leaflet in Supervalu -
http://www.supervalu.ie/fresh_ideas/the_best_of_back_to_school_value_starts_here.739.642.html
I find the chops get cooked really nicely. I only use the chops part of the recipe - I never tried the veg or potatoes.

The Sweeper

Pork chops do need to be cooked but you don't have to cremate them. It's similar to chicken - some folks grill a breast of chicken for 45 minutes when 25 will do. If it's cooked through it's cooked through - it doesn't need to be dessicated.

You might find you can reduce your pork chop cooking time and that'll take the shoe-leather effect off them.

chopsocky

'Bout ye

Pork can be eaten with aslight 'blush' - it does not need to be exposed to the fires of hell in order to make it safe.

Also - the fresher the better, the longer it sits the more it drys up - this is the nature of pork hence it used alot in dry cure Charcuterie etc, etc.

My reccomendation is slow long cook pork chops if they ain't tip top fresh and right off the pig ar8e.

kylith

olaola wrote: »

I do them on the BBQ, really makes the most out of an aul pork chop!
Turn them a few times, keep the juices flowing through. Let them rest. And don't be worried if they're a *smidgin* underdone - pork doesn't have the parasites it used to have. They really don't take too long to cook.

+1 on the BBQ. A friend of mine marinates them in white wine and garlic before putting them on the barbie, I've never had a chop as juicy.

the beer revolu

If your pork chops are dry then you are overcooking them - simple.

muckety

Where are you buying your pork chops? Most supermarket ones are horrible (imho) - if you can get your hands on any free range pork you will notice the difference in the texture as well as the taste, its not that dry-cotton-woolly texture. (Plus the animals have had a better, happier life - win-win!).

irish_goat

You can bake them with water in the oven and they shouldn't go dry.

Whack some chopped onions in an oven proof dish, whack your pork chops(marinated if you like) on top and then cover in water and bake.