You know what I’m talking about….the pork chop you have to slather gravy over or need to chew for minutes before swallowing. I grew up thinking pork chops were tasteless, tough and dry. I honestly wasn’t that excited to try ours when we harvested our first pork, because I was expecting the same thing.
BUT then I learned how to cook pork chops well. That paired with the flavor and wonderful fat content of our pigs made for the most delicious pork chops I’ve ever had.
I’ve come a long way. I don’t even trim my fat anymore! I’d actually prefer a bit of fat with each bite. Our fat isn’t greasy or chewy, but perfectly melt in your mouth and I’m not ashamed to say that I love fat now! That’s where all the flavor is at :)
I think the two key steps to a perfect pork chop is cooking with a bit of fat and making sure to not overcook, let’s dig into the specifics below…
The Perfect Simple Pork Chop
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lard or bacon fat
salt & pepper
optional seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, sage, rosemary, parsley and thyme
Step-by-step:
Remove your pork chops from the fridge and packaging. Pat dry & sprinkle all over with salt, pepper & any additional seasonings and let sit for 20 minutes before cooking.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Put a large skillet over medium high heat and add your lard or bacon fat. Once melted and shimmering hot, add your pork chops and do not move them around in the pan so you’ll get the perfect sear.
After 3-4 minutes and first side is golden brown, use tongs to flip your chops over.
After another 3-4 minutes, flip your chops again, turn off your stove top and transfer your skillet to the oven.
After 7-8 minutes, check your chop temperature. You want to get them to 140 degrees.
Remove the chops from the skillet and let them rest for 5-8 minutes, as the juices will redistribute and they’ll continue to cook to the recommended temperature of 145 degrees.
Enjoy!
Did you have the same experience growing up thinking pork chops were just dry every time? Do you have any other awesome chop recipes to share?! Tell us in the comments below!
You can try our pork chops here. Or our thick cut chops here.
If you enjoy getting fancy, click here for a few other pork chop recipes.