Some of you might have given up cooking pork chops because they often turn out to taste like shoe leather. Have you ever thought about why it happens? In most cases, amateur cooks overcook the meat so that it loses its tenderness. Here we share five secrets of cooking juicy, tender pork chops that you will fall in love with!
Take time to brine your pork chops
It’s one of the best ways that will guarantee soft pork chops. Remember that even a very quick 30-minute brine makes a big difference. You can make marinade from vinegar, lemon juice, wine or soy sauce, add some spices, salt, and sugar and brine the meat up to 4 hours. Try combining various ingredients to find out what you prefer the most!
Make sure you don’t overcook the meat
This is very important! If you fry the chops, do it on a very hot pan for the meat to be ready quickly enough not to lose tenderness. If you bake the chops in the oven, make sure to pre-heat the oven. Pork is easy to overcook!
Use bone-in chops
A bone-in pork chop is the safest option if you are afraid to overcook the meat. They take a little longer to cook than boneless chops, but the result is worth it. And “a little longer” doesn’t mean it takes hours to make them – the difference in time is just a few minutes!
Let the meat rest before serving
We know that it’s tempting to start eating pork chops straight from the oven as soon as they are ready. But we still recommend waiting for 5-7 minutes before serving the meal. That will let the fibers of the meat relax and make the meat taste softer and juicier.
Serve pork chops with homemade sauce
Pork chops are perfect with some homemade sauce made from cranberries, tomatoes or plums. Such sauces ideally complement the mild taste of pork.