The One Rule for Juicy Pork Chops, According to an Expert

For the home cook, there can be a lot of pride in serving whole cuts of meat. Casseroles and one-pot meals are crowd pleasers, but nothing says “I know what I’m doing” quite like a steak or a chop cooked to perfection. 

Pork chops in particular demand a bit of knowledge to get right, since they’re prone to drying out. There’s one thing you can do to ensure juicy pork chops every single time—and it doesn’t take any special equipment or cheffy ingredients to achieve. 

The Big Tip for Great Pork Chops

“You’ve got to be picky,” says Ali Khan, Food Network host and star of Cheap Eats on the Cooking Channel. Khan is always thinking about the best ways to cook pork, and he says that making great chops starts right in the grocery store.

“You’ve got to look through what’s available, find something that’s thick enough,” Khan says, noting that each package will vary in weight and thickness. “Maybe ask the [butcher] about what’s under the glass. Sometimes the supermarket sells wafer-thin chops, and it’s like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’” 

Pork chops are prone to drying out because they’re a relatively lean cut of the pig. Unlike, say, bacon, whose marbled fat moistens as the meat cooks, the pork chop is a loin cut that has relatively little fat and is therefore more susceptible to cooking temperature; too much heat can rob the meat of what little moisture it has. 

This problem is only exacerbated by a thin cut of meat, so aim to find one that’s at least one inch thick. Khan recommends finding a bone-in chop with a decent fat cap, which is the layer of fat ringing the exterior. 

More Tips for Pork Chop Success

The next step is to brine the chop, which Khan says “works freaking wonders” on supermarket chops. (If you happen to be cooking a high-end cut of something like Berkshire or Kurobuta pork, which have more fat marbling, you can skip the brine entirely.) For the brine, consider this recipe, a combination of water, vinegar, citrus, garlic, onion, and spices. Depending on the thickness of the chop, plan to soak the chops in brine anywhere from one hour to overnight (but not longer than 12 hours). 

Khan points out that there are two good reasons to brine your chop. “Yes, it’ll stay juicy, but you can also put down a really hard sear without worrying that you’re going to dry out the middle,” he says. One important note on this technique: When removing the chop from the brine, make sure to pat it totally dry and let it sit out for a minute before searing it in the pan. 

If you’re willing to invest about $20 in culinary consistency, consider purchasing a digital meat thermometer, which will also ensure juicier chops that aren’t overcooked (read: dry) in the middle. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for chops before removing from the heat source, though chefs often cook it to just a few degrees beneath that and let it rest; it will continue cooking up to temp for a few minutes. The safe goal is that the cooked pork reaches 145°F.

Ultimately, the single biggest determinant of juicy pork chops is finding the best option at the grocery store. Aim for thicker chops with prominent fat caps, and you’ll be halfway to impressing all your diners.