How to Cook Thick Pork Chops in the Oven

I usually get regular size pork chops and say to myself, “they are so tender,” but when I asked my butcher for a thick pork chop, I was amazed by what I got. This is already a good piece of meat, so it may not require so much skill to get it to taste delicious.

There are many ways to prepare pork chops, and my favorite is in a pan; however, cooking them in an oven isn’t as difficult as some think.

I’ve listed some tips that would help you cook the best pork chops ever in this article. I’ve also included a quick pork chop recipe if you need something to get you inspired.

Pork Chops Nutrition Facts

Tips to Cook Thick Pork Chops

The following tips and guidelines would help you get amazing results every time you cook thick pork chops:

Pick the right cut – the first step to successful pork chops is picking the right meat. It would help if you avoided lean cuts, get those cuts with a lot of fat contents because they retain a lot of moisture when cooked, and get a juicier pork chop. Getting a pork chop with the bone still in it is good.

Brine your chops-  the secret to tender, juicy pork chops is to brine your pork chops. A simple salt–sugar solution would go a long way to impact some flavors and make the meat juicier. You can add more complexity with some different spices, but it is optional.

Temper your meat – tempering your meat means bringing your pork chops to room temperature at a particular time before you cook them. Tempering pork chops help them cook evenly. For thick pork chops, it is ideal to leave them out at room temperature for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Dry out your pork chops – pay attention to them as they may not be completely dry after you temper them. A sweaty pork chop means your meat would not sear properly, which would affect the color and flavor of the meat. Pat your pork chops dry with a paper towel; make sure you pat every side of the chops to avoid leaving moisture behind.

Score the fat – to score the fat on your pork chops, you get a knife and cut through the fat on the edges of your pork chop. Make small cuts all around the meat at 1-inch intervals. Doing this will prevent the meat from curling up when you cook.

Season pork chops generously – seasoning is important in cooking pork; it takes a good amount of salt to properly season pork. Before seasoning the pork chops, apply some olive oil on both sides of the pork for adherence. Also, season with a decent amount of fresh ground black pepper, pat that in, and allow the meat to sit for a couple of minutes to embrace the seasonings fully.

Choose the right pan – just before you throw your pork chops in the oven, you have to sear them for a couple of minutes. You need an oven-safe pan; you should steer clear of any cheap or light pan and get a high-quality pan; I would recommend getting a cast iron grill pan.

Preheat your oven – to make your cooking time even shorter; it is important to preheat the oven while you sear your pork chops. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Cooking Time for Thick Pork Chops

Cooking Procedure

Cooking Time

Tempering thick pork chops

40 – 50 minutes

Searing thick pork chops

2 minutes (per side)

Cooking pork chops at 400°

5 minutes (per half an inch)