Pork chops are a staple in our house… a dinner dish we eat at least once a week. We try and raise our own pork right here on the homestead but even when we don’t have our own pork in the freezer, I always buy good quality bone in pork chops at the store!
If you have ever cooked pork chops before you will know that it can be challenging to keep them moist. Pork tends to dry out fast when cooking…. but I have a solution for that!
Today I am not going to share a specific recipe but more of how to do it. You can change and add whatever you would like to your pork chops and the process still stays the same.
Here’s what you need:
Bone in pork chops (how ever many you need to feed your family)
Spices, seasonings, or even breadcrumbs
Lard or some sort of fat
Cast iron pan
Now here is the process:
Our favorite way to season the pork chops is by breading them. I have also used this process without breading them and just did seasonings and it works just as good!
I always like to keep a batch of homemade breadcrumbs in my freezer. So that is what I use to bread my pork chops. Below is the link to my breadcrumb recipe…
I will put breadcrumbs on a plate and add seasonings like garlic salt, onion powder, non-salt seasoning mix (like Mrs’ Dash’s) and some parmesan cheese. I coat both sides of the pork chop in this mixture. If you are not breading them, season your pork chops with whatever your family likes and set them aside.
Turn your oven on to 350 degrees to preheat.
Next, heat a big heaping spoonful of your fat of choice in your cast iron pan on the stovetop. Since we raise and butcher our own pigs, I always have lots of back fat from our pigs. So, I render my own lard and love to use it here. If you don’t have lard, a big chunk of butter will work!
*If you use margarine or Crisco in your house, I highly recommend making the change to something else. Both of those have been found to be very very unhealthy for your body. It turns out that butter and lard are actually a much healthier choice!
Once your fat has melted completely and your pan is heated, place your seasoned pork chops into the pan. Brown your pork chops for about 3 min each side. Do not cook through. You are locking in the flavor by doing this and keeping the moisture inside.
Now that your pork chops are browned on either side, carefully slide your cast iron pan into the preheated oven. Let your pork chops cook until the internal temp reaches 145 degrees. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
I like to make sure to watch them closely using a meat thermometer and remove the pork chops right at 145 so they are at their prime juiciness. If you let them go higher then 145 you will risk them drying out.
If I breaded the pork chops, I like to take the pan out and put the chops on a plate. Then I will make a delicious gravy out of all the juices and left-over breading in the pan to pour over the top of the pork chops and some mashed potatoes as a side.
The possibilities are endless with this method, but the important part is starting the pork chops on the stove and letting them finish cooking in the oven. Also, watching that internal temp will help to ensure your pork chops turn out juicy and delicious every single time!
Make sure to comment below what seasonings you used so we can try them too!
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