TENDER AND JUICY OVEN PORK CHOPS

By MaryEllen

Pork chops are a tender, quick-cooking cut of meat – so quick-cooking, they’re easy to overcook. This is why I start the chops on the stove, where they get a good sear, and then transfer them to the oven to finish cooking.

Bone-in pork chops take a few minutes longer to cook than boneless chops, but in my experience, they are another way of ensuring tender chops.

You also can make this process easier by using just one pan. Heat the skillet in the oven while you get the rest of the meal prepped, then transfer it – carefully! – to a stove burner to sear the pork chops. Once the chops are golden on the underside, flip them and move the skillet back to the oven. The residual heat will sear the other side while the heat of the oven cooks them through

Ingredients

• Brine (optional):
• 3 cups cold water, divided
• 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 2 1/2 tablespoons table salt)
• Optional flavorings:
• 2 smashed garlic cloves,
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns,
• 1 bay leaf
• Pork chops:
• 2 to 4 center cut, bone-in pork chops, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick (about 1 pound each) Olive oil Salt and pepper.

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from digital.olivesoftware.com

Preparation

Step 1

BRINE the pork chops (optional): Bring 1 cup water to a boil, add the salt and optional flavorings, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 2 cups cold water. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour the brine over top. The brine should cover the chops. (If not, add 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon salt.) Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

POSITION a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Place an ovenproof skillet in the oven to preheat.

REMOVE the chops from the brine (if you didn’t brine, remove the chops from their packaging). Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set the chops aside to warm while the oven finishes heating.

CAREFULLY remove the hot skillet from the oven and set it over medium-high heat on the stove. Turn on a vent fan or open a window.

LAY the pork chops in the hot skillet. Sear until the undersides of the chops are seared golden, 3 minutes. The chops may start to smoke a little – that’s OK. Turn down the heat if it becomes excessive.

USE tongs to flip the pork chops to the other side. Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven using oven mitts. Roast 6 to 10 minutes, until the pork chops are cooked through and register 140 to 145 degrees in the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. (Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chops, how cool they were at the start of cooking, and whether they were brined.)

TRANSFER the cooked pork chops to a plate and pour pan juices over the top (or reserve for making a pan sauce or gravy). Tent loosely with foil and let the chops rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 2 to 4 pork chops.