I'm not looking for restaurants here. I want to hear how BGPers make the perfect pork chop.

 

Is it grilled? Fried? Broiled? Braised? Smoked?

 

Do you bread them? Use a dry rub? Brine them first? Tenderize them?

 

Bone-in or boneless? Thin-cut, thick-cut, butterflied, or double-cut?

 

 

What's your trick to making the perfect pork chop?

Bone in. Thick cut. Water, salt and sugar brine. Seasoned flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Pan fried. Perfection...

Bone in. Thick cut. Water, salt and sugar brine. Seasoned flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Pan fried. Perfection...

 

I always get thin-cut when I'm planning on frying them up in a pan because I've never gotten the hang of pan frying a thick-cut pork chop. They always end up getting a little too dark on the outside before they're done enough in the center. Any tricks to it that you can think of?

I always get thin-cut when I'm planning on frying them up in a pan because I've never gotten the hang of pan frying a thick-cut pork chop. They always end up getting a little too dark on the outside before they're done enough in the center. Any tricks to it that you can think of?

 

Fry it like you would a thin cut on each side and finish in the oven at 325 to get to temp. The lower temp won't over cook the breading, and will usually keep it crisp. Botched it a few times when learning the technique, but have it down pretty good now...

Bone-in with olive oil in a pan. Add garlic powder, minced onion. One flip on med-med hi heat based on thickness.

 

I'm not much on breading, like to keep it simple. I'll use teriyaki sauce ( Lawrys ) or bbq on occasion ( Sweet Baby Rays or Montgomery Inn ) for variety.

I have good look grilling and baking. I also love them in the pressure cooker.

What benefit do you enjoy from the brine and or sugar process?

 

I ask because I haven't tried it before...thanks in advance.

Off the bone, mashed out as big as you can get it, then breaded and deep-fried Iowa style, on a big-horkin' bun with some pickle slices. Sorry, my mom is the spawn of an Iowa pig-farmer.

Not a fan of bone in...prefer a thick, boneless chop. Typically, I'll use a dry rub, and toss them on my pellet smoker.

This recipe is originally from Bon Apetit. I've been using it for at least 15 years or so. Never fails to impress.

 

2 cups water

2 cups dark lager beer

1/4 cup coarse salt

3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses

1 cup ice cubes

6 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork chops

7 large garlic cloves, minced

3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried sage leaves

 

Combine 2 cups water, beer, 1/4 cup coarse salt, sugar, and molasses in large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in ice. Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag. Pour beer brine over pork chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

 

 

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove pork chops from beer brine; pat dry. Mix garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and sage in small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over both sides of pork chops. Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 145°F to 150°F, about 10 minutes per side, occasionally moving chops to cooler part of rack if burning. Transfer chops to platter; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes.

Thick cut bone in preferred. Brining is critical. I use salt, sugar and various spices. I also use a variety of rubs and grill to 145 internal temp.

 

I'm hungry.

Best way to cook them IMO is fried on the stove with bread crumbs, haven't figured out grilling them without drying them out too much.

I fry mine in olive oil after seasoning them with some pepper, garlic salt and parsley flakes. I brown each side on high heat then lower the heat, cover and let cook for awhile to make sure the inside gets done. Turn occasionally so they don't burn. I use thick chops and they always come out moist and tender!

I like mine grilled, if thicker cut can even inject them with apple juice before rubbing/grilling, and spritz them with apple juice during the grilling process, much like you would if smoking them. This helps keep them drying out and keeps them moist.

 

All kinds of rubs out there, but if you make your own it has to have salt, cracked pepper, white and/or brown sugar, garlic and onion powder and something with a little bite to it, I like smoked paprika...heavy on the sweet, as sweet goes with pork.

 

Now that I have my smoker, pork chops are on the list to smoke...I may find I prefer that to grilled.

I like mine grilled, if thicker cut can even inject them with apple juice before rubbing/grilling, and spritz them with apple juice during the grilling process, much like you would if smoking them. This helps keep them drying out and keeps them moist.

 

All kinds of rubs out there, but if you make your own it has to have salt, cracked pepper, white and/or brown sugar, garlic and onion powder and something with a little bite to it, I like smoked paprika...heavy on the sweet, as sweet goes with pork.

 

Now that I have my smoker, pork chops are on the list to smoke...I may find I prefer that to grilled.

 

Haven't had pork chop cooked on a stove or in an oven in the 10 years I've had my smoker.