I don't think I like pork chops...

[betarhoalphadelta]

Someone, tell me why I should change my mind.

Because some people seem to LOVE pork chops. But every single one I've ever had is dry and tough. Grilled, pan-fried, breaded, nothing has avoided the dry/tough outcome. And I know most people might say "cooking to 160 degrees is old knowledge--don't cook it so long and it'll be fine", but my own experience doesn't back that up.

For a long time, I thought it was just cook method. So I got some really nice-looking thick cut chops from Whole Foods, brined them overnight, then did a reverse sear on the grill to avoid overcooking. Finished at about 145 IT. Still, dry and tough.

So I thought I'd try sous vide. Got a big package from Costco and broke it down into three different batches (freezing some for later). First batch I did 140 degrees and only about a 3 hr bath before a quick sear in a pan with oil. Dry and tough. Second batch I did 135 for more like 5 hours. Best ones I did, but still tough. So the final batch I figured I'd slice them in half (they were ~1.5" thick prior, so I dropped them to ~0.75"), cooked them at 131 for about 7 hours, and still the same thing. Dry and tough.

Am I missing something here, or are pork chops just always dry and tough?

 

[Kharnynb]

I'm similar, I prefer fattier pork pieces like boston butt

 

[TheMadKing]

Someone, tell me why I should change my mind.

Because some people seem to LOVE pork chops. But every single one I've ever had is dry and tough. Grilled, pan-fried, breaded, nothing has avoided the dry/tough outcome. And I know most people might say "cooking to 160 degrees is old knowledge--don't cook it so long and it'll be fine", but my own experience doesn't back that up.

For a long time, I thought it was just cook method. So I got some really nice-looking thick cut chops from Whole Foods, brined them overnight, then did a reverse sear on the grill to avoid overcooking. Finished at about 145 IT. Still, dry and tough.

So I thought I'd try sous vide. Got a big package from Costco and broke it down into three different batches (freezing some for later). First batch I did 140 degrees and only about a 3 hr bath before a quick sear in a pan with oil. Dry and tough. Second batch I did 135 for more like 5 hours. Best ones I did, but still tough. So the final batch I figured I'd slice them in half (they were ~1.5" thick prior, so I dropped them to ~0.75"), cooked them at 131 for about 7 hours, and still the same thing. Dry and tough.

Am I missing something here, or are pork chops just always dry and tough?

I tend to prefer thin sliced boneless pork chops. They are the only cut of meat that I actually prefer boneless. They are easier to keep moist I think.

2 ways to keep them moist in my experience:

- Use a heavy 50/50 brown-sugar/salt based rub, very low and slow smoked with lots of moisture present in the smoker, or baste them frequently and be really careful not to overcook them, 140-145 is perfect.

-Cook them in cream sauce with mushrooms (almost like a stroganoff sauce), or cream of mushroom soup if you're in a hurry. Just basically oven-roast them in that sauce until they are done. Then serve them over brown rice.

 

[Horseflesh]

Pork chops are so lean that I have the same trouble, even using sous vide. If you want to try again, I would start with a 24 hr dry brine step.

Get yourself some pork tenderloin and look up a sous vide recipe... that's good eatin'.

 

[Transamguy77]

Growing up my family ate a lot of pork chops and I'm with you not really one of my favorites, fast forward 20 years and I started to buy a whole pig (will last me a whole year), I now had 12-15 pot chops to cook, I found doing them on the smoker at 200 for 1.5ish hours and they were great!
Now if it wasn't for the fact of having them in the package I wouldnt have gone out and bought them but I'm glad I did have to make them so now I won't dread making them.

 

[nDub]

My Mom used to slice up lemon and put the slices on the pork chop and smother in ketchup then bake.

I don't go out of my way to eat pork chops either but that is the only way I can remember eating them.

I like the smoker idea but if I'm going to smoke I'll pick a different cut-o-meat.

 

[passedpawn]

I agree - it's like cardboard to me.

If you have a bunch of lean dry pork (i.e., you bought a giant cheap pork loin and don't know what to do with the other 90% that didn't get eaten), make Carne Adovada: Carne Adovada (New Mexico-Style Pork With Red Chilies) Recipe

 

[jwelch1103]

There are 3 types of pork chops, the blade, the rib, and the center cut chop. Each one has a different fat content. The rib chops are the fattiest but still rather lean.
Trichonosus is practically unheard in modern domestic pork and it is known now that it is killed at 145 degrees Fahrenheit. I buy nothing but thick cut rib chops and use a Thermapen to monitor the temperature pulling them at 145 and letting them sit for 3-4 minutes.
The other two types should be braised IMO, but the center cut is especially problematic since it contains pieces of at least two different muscles, one of which is very lean and very easy to over cook.
If you want to try again get some thick cut rib chops, brine or dry brine them, and don't overcook them, that's about the best they can get IMO.

 

[StonesBally]

Rib chops sous vide for 8 hours at 137. Then let them cool completely. Then a hard 90 second sear on both sides. Nice and rosy pink in the middle. I prefer bone in chops personally. Straight pork loin is flavorless like chicken breasts.

 

[StonesBally]

137 is the temp that kills trichinosis by the way.

 

[Lefty17]

You should go vegan, trust me, we do a lot of that in California. I'm 2 years clean of all meats.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Pork chops...Gross
Never met one I liked..And if it was OK a fat juicy steak would have been a better choice.
Glad I'm not the only one

 

[jleiii]

I've always enjoyed pork chops, but I can agree that they can be pretty dry at times.
The last few times I've done them it was the thickest boneless ones I could find. I split them in half, but not through, stuff them with bread crumbs, onion, celery and spices, stand with the cut side up closely packed and bake in the oven. They come out juicy and amazing.
I searched for recipes online and went with one that sounded good to me. Lots of variations out there.

 

[TheMadKing]

You should go vegan, trust me, we do a lot of that in California. I'm 2 years clean of all meats.

You eat the food that my food eats. I don't appreciate that.

Have you tried sausage? It's an all natural and all meat substitute for disgusting cucumber, and the taste and texture are almost exactly nothing like cucumber.

My body is a temple... A temple made OF meat FOR meat

\had to give a hard time, no offense.

 

[jwelch1103]

137 is the temp that kills trichinosis by the way.

>144 is the instant kill temperature. 137 will kill trichinosis if held for a long enough time, which IIRC is in the neighborhood of several minutes. One can cook pork at 120 degrees and kill any trichinosis present if it is held long enough, again IIRC I think it is about 21 hours at that temp.
This is how sous vide can render meats safe to eat at temperatures well below instant kill temperatures.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

You should go vegan, trust me, we do a lot of that in California. I'm 2 years clean of all meats.

I will never in my life understand Vegan..My sister is a semi vegan..Fat ass juicy steak with a side of sausage never killed anyone. Its all genetics, we're delt the card we're given. Man has been eating meat since the beginning of time...but do as you will, we're all different, its what makes the world go round

 

[casualbrewer]

If going thin then deep fry real hot and real quick. If thick I grill them super hot and quick. If you are spending more than a few minutes cooking pork chops then they will be dry.

 

[Lefty17]

I will never in my life understand Vegan..My sister is a semi vegan..

UM! Vegan or non-Vegan..there is no semi...

 

[TheMadKing]

UM! Vegan or non-Vegan..there is no semi...

That's an extremely narrow viewpoint. What if his sister runs on only animal free diesel.

 

[Lefty17]

That's an extremely narrow viewpoint. What if his sister runs on only animal free diesel.

rude

 

[TheMadKing]

rude

Funny AF man, gotta have a sense of humor about everything.

sorry OP! (I'll be here all week!)

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

UM! Vegan or non-Vegan..there is no semi...

Sure there is.
She goes straight vegan for a while then cheats around the holidays and possibly here and there that I don't follow. Then all vegan...Semi vegan

If you eat nothing but plants and disgusting hummus 11 months out of the year...your a vegan

 

[Lefty17]

Sure there is.
She goes straight vegan for a while then cheats around the holidays and possibly here and there that I don't follow. Then all vegan...Semi vegan

If you eat nothing but plants and disgusting hummus 11 months out of the year...your a vegan

I see, but really its a lifestyle, how can you cheat that? We protest the consumption of meat here but, lets get off this man's thread.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

We protest the consumption of meat here but, lets get off this man's thread.

It's a meat thread...pretty sure were not off topic. I have family in Cali and they protest nothing....I hate protesters....All they do is try to jam their opinion down everyones throat...I don't protest your way...don't protest mine.

 

[nDub]

That's an extremely narrow viewpoint. What if his sister runs on only animal free diesel.

Is that the new Optimus Prime? That should totally be the new Optimus Prime.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

You should go vegan, trust me, we do a lot of that in California. I'm 2 years clean of all meats.

I'm actually planning to go STRICT vegan and swear off consumption of all animal products...


...when I die.


But until then, pass the bacon! (But not the pork chops)

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Thanks everyone... Sounds like I'm not the only one who doesn't appreciate the pork chops. I thought maybe there was some way to prepare them to fix this, but I'll just avoid them in the future.

Pork tenderloin is much more juicy and tender, and it's generally not even that expensive...

 

[passedpawn]

I'm actually planning to go STRICT vegan and swear off consumption of all animal products...


...when I die.


But until then, pass the bacon! (But not the pork chops)

Yea, those pork tenderloins are super cheap and lean. I'm thinking about making a batch of hot dogs, might try to emulsify a bunch of loin and backfat.

 

[flars]

Thanks everyone... Sounds like I'm not the only one who doesn't appreciate the pork chops. I thought maybe there was some way to prepare them to fix this, but I'll just avoid them in the future.

Pork tenderloin is much more juicy and tender, and it's generally not even that expensive...

Were the pork chops you don't like called the center cut pork chop? These are actually hockey pucks. Need to buy the pork chops with the bone in and a ring of fat all the way around.

 

[madscientist451]

Don't cook pork chops like a steak, they'll be dry. Dip in milk or egg wash and bread crumbs, fry in some canola oil over moderate heat. Loin chops in the crock pot turn out dry and tough until you let them sit in the broth created from the cooking for a couple of days and they become tender and moist.
I usually skip the chops and get a pork shoulder, put in the crock pot with some chopped up cooking apples and some cider. Cook on low 6 hrs, take the meat out, pull it apart with 2 forks then finish cooking with home made barbecue sauce on the stove with gentle heat about 1/2 hour. Serve with an English Mild, a Bavarian Light Lager or some cider.

 

[bfish]

Most pork chops comes pre-enhanced/brined/solution added these days at 10-12%. Read the small print on the label. Brining again does not help, and may actually make it dry out faster. If you can find them, go with meat that has not had stuff added to it.

Rib chops, as been previous mentioned, are the way to go. Even with the other types of pork chop, cooking them in some oil/fat helps. I like bacon grease in a very hot cast iron skillet, just long enough on each side for it to release and have a nice char.

 

[passedpawn]

This is the ONLY pork chop I like. Just ate it Pork chop confit.

It was sous vide overnight @ 180 in duck fat, then stored for about 14 months in the fridge. Believe me, juicy and flavorful and falls apart like tuna. Bonus pic: I cut up a potato and fried it in the fat that remained in the pan.

 

[jcav]

Funny my wife just made a wonderful dinner tonight and cooked a beautiful juicy pork chop, with baked sweet potatoes and broccoli. Loved it!

John

 

[b-boy]

UM! Vegan or non-Vegan..there is no semi...

Yoda said that, right?

 

[Horseflesh]

@passedepawn -- do you have a link for that recipe? I cook SV all the time but have never seen a recipe that stores cooked and sealed meat for such a long time.

 

[kh54s10]

I love pork chops... If moist the better, if dry, still good. My recipe is a 1/2 - 3/4 inch layer of rice (I like brown rice) in a casserole dish. A layer of thick onion slices, some mushrooms, some bell peppers cover with a layer of pork chops, I like thickest I can find. Pour beef broth or bouillon over the top. Add seasoning, often just some salt and pepper. Bake at 350 until I get to the temperature for pork. (I use a chart that I have) Most times it is moist but even if not I love them.

I need to try marinading the pork chops first.....

Bacon still tops chops by a mile.....

 

[soccerdad]

My wife got this recipe maybe 40 years ago - maybe from my mom. It is my fav for PCs.

Pork Chops Clemence

Lemon Juice
1 egg beaten
salt n pepper
6 pork chops
bread crumbs
butter for frying
1 onion sliced

mix egg, s&p, lemon juice .. dip chops in this and then bread crumbs
brown gently in melted butter
line bottom of casserole dish with onion slices .. set browned chops on the onion slices
cover and bake at 350 for an hour

always moist

 

[phug]

I'm the same for even liking my porkchops dry. season them properly and it becomes like a giant piece of pork jerky.

That being said. I'll take some of my center cut chops, and slice them as thinly as I can (half-frozen makes this easier) and then marinade them for an a wee bit in a mix of soy sauce, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and a clove or two of paper thin slices of fresh garlic. Then I'll fry that in a pan or wok, and then toss some sliced up baby bok choi, and serve over rice.

That's tasty.

 

[passedpawn]

@passedepawn -- do you have a link for that recipe? I cook SV all the time but have never seen a recipe that stores cooked and sealed meat for such a long time.

I did add some curing salt. TBH, I don't remember the exact recipe - I think I added rosemary or thyme also.

I use the basic confit recipe in Ruhlman's Charcuterie. I broke down a whole duck and separated the fat and skin to use as fat. Besides the duck breasts and thighs, I also prepared these pork chops, some chicken, and a couple slabs of salmon, all with the duck fat. You don't need much fat when you sous vide.

I've canned (pressure canner) leftover turkey in mason jars and left in the cabinet for years. Just like chicken of the sea

 

[headbanger]

Let me know if you're ever in Kentucky and I will change your mind..

Brined overnight then reverse seared via pellet grill, these are 2'' thick and as juicy and tender as can be.

Or if you're ever near KY Dam Village, Patti's Settlement makes some almost as good as mine..