Pork Chop problems
 

I don't know what is wrong with me, but I can't cook a decent pork chop anymore. They all turn out tough. Do any of you have a way to cook chops that will be tender? Thanks in advance for any answers. Marcia

I'll be watching this thread: I'm having the same problem!

Tough usually means you are cooking it too fast, and too high of heat.
If on stovetop, sear first, then lower the heat and cook slowly, with liquid.

Another way that I do pork chops, that are juicy, tender and oh-so easy .....
Lay uncooked chops in a flat baking pan.
Top with sliced potatoes, as you would for scalloped potatoes.
Include sliced onions and/or carrots to your choosing.
Add melted butter and season as desired.
Pour in milk.
Top with foil .... and bake.
Now, the best part .......... go to the sewing room while it bakes!

The foil topping will keep the moisture in there and help tenderize the chops as they cook.
Remove the foil at the end, and let the milk cook off.
The starch of the potatoes will help thicken the milk, to be more like scalloped potatoes.

This is my easy-no-fail and most favoured pork chop method!

I've been having the same problem. We no longer even try to cook them on the grill and my DH is a good griller! I asked the butcher about this and he thought we were grilling them too long. I don't think so. The only way I fix them now is to flour and brown them and then add a little water to the pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so. Also try try to find the chops with a little bone, called rib chops around here. But, I think they have gone so far trying to reduce the amount of fat in pork that it has made them tough. JMHO

I haven't fried a pork chop in almost 30 years. I use a coating called "Oven Fry" for pork. The box is green. You can find it next to the Shake & Bake, usually same aisle as flour/sugar/etc. Takes 20-25 minutes in the oven (400 degrees). Thicker chops I do 25 minutes, do not flip during baking. Wet the chops with water, pour coating into a plastic bag, coat 1 chop at a time pressing it on until well coated on all sides, place on sprayed baking sheet & bake. Simple.

I also roast a veggie, on a different baking sheet/foil lined (drizzle a little olive oil/Salt/Pepper), at the same time. Chunked whatever veggie you like....sweet potatoes/peeled optional, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, etc. Roll veggies over at 15 minutes & continue to bake another 10 minutes or until tender. They will have browned areas.

If you don't want to use "Oven Fry" you can use seasoned bread crumbs. Either one seals in the moisture making them juicy & tender.

Yes, turn the heat down. Another way is to brown them, slice onions over them and add cream of mushroom soup, turn down the heat and simmer til tender.

Mine were too dry & I love pork chops! We love them cooked this way now.
I brown them lightly with a bit of real butter. 4 chops
Then add 2 cans fat free cream of mushroom soup - low heat - & let simmer for 2 or more hours.
We like them with noodles, but also do the Simply Potatoes brand of microwaveable mashed potatoes.
Quick & easy supper.
Looking forward to seeing other recipes.

I'd been having trouble too and hit on a way my hub likes, brown the chops, add water or chicken broth and simmer until almost tender, about a half hour, then toss sliced fresh mushrooms into the pan, the liquid will be nearly gone but enough to saute the mushrooms, when they're soft I pile them on the chops and sometimes sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over them and let it get melty, pretty yummy. This also works with boneless chicken breasts.

start with a COLD fry pan

You mean they aren't supposed to be tough? My mother fried pork chops until they were shoe leather. (I hated them.) My DH asked me why we never had pork chops and that was why. About 20 years ago (we have been married 44 years in June) I found the thick sliced pork chops and have been cooking them since. Sometimes they are breaded and fried, sometimes they are put in the Showtime Rotisserie, and sometimes they are baked. I season them with a breading and bake in accordance with the weight. To me it is the thickness that allows them to cook and retain some tenderness and moisture.

I brush on Dijon mustard then roll in fine bread crumbs. I make my own bread crumbs so I can get them to look almost them same texture of cornmeal. Set the burner to medium heat, place the pork chops in the pan with a little olive oil. Cover and cook about 7 minutes total or until no pink juices flow out. (for 1" thick chops)

Marinate in Italian salad dressing a while, then grill or toss in seasoned bread crumbs and bake.

Totally agree that pork chops are way too lean now for our old methods of cooking pork. I basically treat them like a boneless skinless chicken breast. Season and a quick saute in olive oil and butter. I season with the Pork Chop seasoning from Penzeys. I use the 1/2 inch or so thick boneless loin chops and they cook in about 5 minutes or so, just until no pink is in middle. I have also brined them and had good results.

Pork becomes tough when it is overcooked.

Before I got the Instant Pot which makes great pork chops I used to use the George Foreman grill - season as desired and cook just until done. They were very good. With that grill have to remember both sides are cooked at the same time so short cooking time. I do think pork is very lean these days and I too treat them like a boneless skinless chicken breast. And some of them are different from each other too.

Pork no longer has to be cooked well done because it no longer carries Trichinosis, which was why you used to have to cook it to shoe leather. It's been eradicated in commercial pork. One of the problems in that is that pork has gotten leaner, making it not as moist. If it is overcooked, it will definitely be tough. A good temp for pork is 160, with a 3 minute covered rest (for a chop, 10 minutes for a roast) after taking it off of the heat.

Watson

I coat mine in breadcrumbs, cook for about 5 mins either side till golden, place in a tray cover with foil cook for about 15 mins at 400 in oven remove foil finish off 5 mins in over, juice moist and tender

Pork chops are too lean now,no fat for flavor either. I try and buy chops that have some fat. I cook them only about ten minutes each side, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

I have thisproblem with anything pork. Exception to ham steak.

I cook them in the crockpot with some chicken broth & a can of cream of chicken soup. Very moist & tender.

In oven 350 degrees; butter/oil in baking pan,dredge chops in flour, salt and pepper. Have oil hot then add in pork chops, cook 30 mins on one side, turn and cook another 30 mins. So tender and crunchy, just like fried.

I tenderize and brown in electric fry pan with olive oil. Turn down heat, mix cream of Mushroom or chicken soup mixed with two cans of water, simmer for several hours. Add sliced carrots (veg of choice) , sliced onion and diced potatoes. After 2-3 hours dinner is ready in one pan. With only two of us, makes two meals, meat melts in your mouth. All you have to do is check it every little while to make sure it is cooking but not too hot/fast.

Not something you want to hear, but the pork raised and sold today is bred to be too lean. Fat is what adds the flavor and tenderness (marbling) That is why I use pork steak so much now. Consumers think that fat is soooo bad! We raised pork years ago and it was so good. Miss it.

......... only because the consumer demanded the leaner cuts!

I was also having trouble with tender pork chops for awhile. I wasn't cooking them any different than I had in years but they were always tough. I came to the conclusion that it is the fast way that they are being raised. Anyways I brown them & then add a little water & simmer about 1 1/2 hours. Add onions or anything you like while it is simmering

I would like to share a marinade for pork chops that I have used for years. It actually a "Pork Producers" recipe used at the state fair. Everyone likes this. I almost always use my George Foreman but do them on the outdoor grill in the summer. Hope you enjoy:

1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon garlic powder

Mix well and soak chops (or steaks) for 2 hours then grill. I have marinated longer. I have a marinade container for my vacuum sealer and usually use that. It is quicker. I believe that the pork chop tent at the fair had some fresh sauce that was heated and the cooked pork chops were put in there until served.

Some great cooking ideas here. And I've been telling my DH that they are tough because now they WALK them to market :-)

I sure appreciate all the replies.

Pork chops can be very dry and tough, I bake mine in the oven with thinly sliced onions and thinly sliced carrots on the top, then I pour over gravy to cover, bake for around 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour.

If onions upset you then the secret is slice thinly put them in a dish then pour over boiling water, leave for around 1/2 an hour then drain, this takes all the nasty side effects of onions.

This recipe is the only one I use now. The pork chops are always fork tender, no matter how thick they are. Everyone loves them.
Salt and pepper pork chops and dredge in flour. Pat flour into chops to make sure it sticks.

Preheat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Carefully place chops into skillet and brown on both sides. Remove from heat. Being very careful, add about 1/4 C water to the pan and cover. Place in a 350* oven for about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

I also use a crockpot like cook25526. They are always juicy and very tender.

Curious as to what setting and or time this is? "cook25526"

I had the same problem. I had thin pork chops and googled on how to cook so they weren't so tough. The reply was to soak them in milk or buttermilk. Website is www.food.com /recipe/milk-marinated-pork-chops-with-applesauce And it worked. The website also includes how to make applesauce if interested. In the south they us buttermilk and in other parts of the world they use yogart. Hope this helps.

I do not know about anyone else but this is how I do my porkchops. Use a thick bottom heavy skillet , spray with a small amount if nonstick coating, heat on medium then turn on low. Sire porkchops, put salt and pepper on them, do this for 3 minutes. Turn over to other side and salt and pepper. Fry for 3 minutes with lid on skillet. Fry for 3 minutes and turn off skillet. Trim fat and serve. They always turn out juicy. Good luck.

As a farmer's wife, I may have an answer on the tough meat. Pigs are fed different than they used to be and fed to be ready for market in less time resulting in meat with less fat making the meat tougher. My favorite cut of pork is pork steak vs pork chops, wonderful on the grill too. Going lean is a good thing but there is a negative that goes with the lean meat.

What temp and how long?

I set the crockpot on low, and they are falling off the bone in 4 hours.

As I said, this is my most favoured "method" ... thus not a precision recipe!
It really is quite forgiving, re temperature, length of cooking, and ingredients.
And part of the reason why I like the method ... and results, so much. :)

A moderate temperature ... 325-350°F, or so.
I might even start it higher to get things heated up, then lower it to those temperatures.
Pretty much depends on what else I may be cooking at the same time.

How long, is determined more so by how many chops you are cooking, how large and thick they are, how much potatoes, carrots, onions, milk, etc. Generally, I would say about an hour ..... or so!

As mentioned, it is quite forgiving .....
...... just toss things, then ignore it by heading to the sewing room, while supper cooks for you!

Me too Feather!! I swear by Oven Fry. Love it. Makes a wonderfully flavorful crunchy coating on the outside and moist juicy tender pork chop on the inside. Oven Fry is the best and one of the few "convenience" foods I use.