Oven-baked pork chops are so quick and easy…why haven’t I tried this before? I love the thick cut (or Iowa chops) at Costco and frequently cook them in the crock pot. On this particular day, I thawed the pork chops and forgot to put them in the crockpot in the morning. What to do…well, this recipe was perfect. The pork chops came out so juicy and tender. I served the chop with yummy roasted vegetables for the win!
Oven-Baked Pork Chops
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons pork chop seasoning (I used Savory Spice Coastal California Fennel Pollen Rub or next time I would try Savory Spice Bohemian Forest seasoning
- 4 8-oz Pork chops (boneless or bone-in)
- 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS:
- Use paper towels to pat the pork chops dry.
- Prepare the pork chop marinade here. Marinate the pork chops for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours (but not longer). Alternatively, you can season with pork chop seasoning (link in ingredient section above), or simply season generously with salt and pepper and skip the marinade, but the marinade makes them so juicy! (Fork-Lore Note: I seasoned the pork chops and immediately cooked them and they were juicy and delicious).
- Remove the chops from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). At the same time, preheat a cast iron skillet (or a cast iron grill pan) on the stovetop over medium-high heat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the oven is just a few minutes away from being preheated, add the butter and heat until melted, tilting the pan to coat. Add the pork chops in a single layer. Sear for 2-3 minutes, without moving, until browned on the bottom. Flip and sear for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake pork chops until their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for juicier pork chops. (The internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees while resting later.) Use a probe thermometer for best results, but here is a guideline for pork chop baking times:* 1″ thick boneless pork chops: 6-8 minutes* 1/2″ thick boneless pork chops: 3-4 minutes* 1″ thick bone-in pork chops: 8-10 minutes* 1/2″ thick bone-in pork chops: 5-6 minutes
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and transfer to a plate. (Do not leave them in the pan or they will be overcooked.) Tent the top with foil and let the chops rest for 3-5 minutes.
Recipe adapted from WholesomeYum