Baked Pork Chops

When you’re looking to switch up your proteins, turn to baked pork chops. An oven-baked pork chops recipe is one of those speedy weeknight dinners that comes together in 30 minutes. You’ll brown the chops in butter, whisk up a simple (easy to customize!) sauce, then pop everything into the oven for just about 20 minutes. As it cooks, the sweet, savory sauce thickens and imbues the chops with plenty of flavor.

The secret to success when making baked pork chop recipes is buying the best quality pork you can, and the right type of pork too. We like bone-in chops, which will be extra juicy and flavorful, but you can use boneless chops, which cook more quickly (make sure to reduce the baking time a bit for boneless). Our oven-baked pork chops recipe is written to serve two people, but it’s easy to scale up to feed the family.

Ingredients for Baked Pork Chops

• Butter: Sauteeing the pork in butter packs in maximum flavor and forms the base of the pan sauce.
• Bone-in pork loin chops: We like to use bone-in chops for oven-baked pork chops. They’re more flavorful, and the bones will help prevent the chops from drying out, which is a common mistake when learning how to bake pork chops. Look for 3/4-inch thick chops.
• Onion: Chopped onion adds sweetness and a bit of crunch to the simple homemade sauce. Use a white, yellow or Vidalia onion.
• Maple syrup: Thick maple syrup draws out the sweetness in the pork and makes for a robust sauce.
• Water: Thinning the sauce with water also helps the pork chops cook through without drying out.
• Cider vinegar: Many classic sauces include a dash of acid to brighten up the flavor and to balance the sweet and savory notes. For this baked pork chops recipe, use bright, punchy cider vinegar.
• Worcestershire sauce: Smoky, savory Worcestershire sauce adds umami to enrich the pork chops.
• Seasonings: The base recipe keeps it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a dash of chili powder. Give the chili powder a try, even if you don’t love spice: the heat from the chili is nicely countered by the maple syrup.

Directions

Step 1: Saute the chops

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 11×7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until it melts and begins to bubble. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook until brown. Flip, and brown the other side.

Editor’s Tip: The secret to browning meat? Move the meat as little as possible. Once the pork chop is in the pan, let it sit for a few minutes, peeking now and then to check the color. Wait for a rich caramel brown—that means the most flavor.

Step 2: Move to the baking dish

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Transfer the pork chops from the skillet to the prepared baking dish. Scrape out any butter and juices from the skillet and add them too. Sprinkle with onions.

Step 3: Make the sauce

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In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, water, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir until well combined.

Step 4: Bake the pork chops

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Pour the sauce over the chops. Bake the pork chops, covered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pork reads 145°, which should be 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for five minutes before serving.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t be afraid if the pork is pink: gray pork can be a sign of overcooking. And don’t be tempted to cut into a chop right away! Allowing the meat to rest after cooking allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat rather than run out on the cutting board.

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Recipe Variations

• Scale for more servings: While this recipe serves two, it’s easy to scale up. Double or triple it, if you like. Just use a bigger baking pan.
• Thicken the sauce: This sauce is fairly pourable, making it ideal for serving with a starch like rice or potatoes that will soak it up. But you can certainly make a thicker sauce that will stick to the meat. Just omit the water from the recipe.
• Change the acid: Don’t have cider vinegar on hand? Use white wine, red wine or champagne vinegar.
• Add liquid smoke: Add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke to the sauce to make the chops more smoky.
• Spice it up: Pork is a mild meat, so feel free to change up the spices. Smoked paprika, Cajun spices, dried herbs, cayenne or mustard are all tasty. For even more flavor, add a spice rub to the pork chops before browning them.

How to Store Baked Pork Chops

Store leftovers of baked pork chop recipes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can pour the sauce right over the pork; it will help keep the chops moist and flavorful.

How long do baked pork chops last?

In the fridge, oven-baked pork chops will keep for three to four days.

Can you freeze baked pork chops?

Yes, you can freeze oven-baked pork chops, with or without the sauce. Allow the cooked pork and sauce to cool completely, then wrap the chops tightly in storage wrap or seal the pork and sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to four months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.

How do you reheat baked pork chops?

For the quickest results, heat the pork chops in a heatproof dish in the microwave. Pour the sauce over the pork, and add a dash of water if needed to thin it a bit. Heat in short-ish blasts, such as 20 second intervals, until warmed through. You can also reheat pork chops in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven.

Baked Pork Chop Tips

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How can you make sure the pork chops don’t dry out?

Bone-in pork chops are pretty juicy—they aren’t likely to dry out, especially when baked in sauce. However, when it comes to how long to bake pork chops, the best way to make sure pork chops don’t dry out is to cook them just until done. Near the end of cooking time, check the temperature of the pork chops often, and remove them from the oven as soon as they reach 145°. The chops will continue to cook for a few minutes after they’re removed from the oven.

What can you serve with baked pork chops?

These chops taste delicious with a starchy side dish to soak up the sauce. Mashed potatoes, brown rice, wild rice, roasted potatoes or dinner rolls would all be tasty. Don’t forget vegetable sides too! Keep it simple with steamed green beans, or slide the veggies right into the oven with the pork. Roasted broccoli and breaded squash are great options for that.

How can you thicken the sauce?

If you take the pork out of the oven and the sauce looks thinner than you’d like, don’t panic. You can thicken it! Remove the pork chops from the pan, and scrape the sauce into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil on the stove and cook it a few moments. This step alone may be enough to thicken it up. If not, whisk a spoonful of cornstarch into a small bowl with a few tablespoons of water. Slowly pour the slurry into the saucepan, stirring well, until the sauce thickens. Now you can pour the extra-luxe sauce over the pork and serve.