Recipe - Honey Garlic Pork Chops - Happy Home Fairy (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist pork chops? ›

Fat is key to keeping pork chops moist

Basting them with fat, such as butter. Add in aromatics while basting for more flavor — similar to how you might cook a steak — and then you have the added bonus of browned butter and crispy garlic and/or herbs to serve with the meat.

It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

The secret to a terrific pork chop is a tasty brine. Like a marinade, a brine will uniformly infuse the chop with flavor — in this case, salt, garlic, pepper, Bay leaf and rosemary. It softens the meat, and helps it hold onto its juices throughout cooking.

Even a quick 30-minute dry brine, which seasons the meat inside and out, will improve the taste and texture of the meat. Or you can season the chops and put them back in the fridge several hours before cook time. Seasoning also goes a long way in making that flavorful crust that pork chops are known and loved for.

While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.

Best Seasoning for Pork Chops

Thyme and sage add herby and floral notes complementing pork's flavor exceptionally well. There's also a combination of smoked paprika, pepper, and a little bit of cayenne pepper, which all give your pork chops a lovely, not overly spicy, kiss of heat.

We use a basic brine solution of 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) salt to 1 quart (4 cups) of water. Lay the pork chops (or other thin cut) in a single layer in a shallow dish and then pour the brine over top. Let this sit for anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2 hours before cooking.

Brining pork chops is the best way to pump them full of flavor and liquid, making them less susceptible to drying out as they cook.

Some of the best seasonings to pair with pork are salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Some other spices and herbs that pair well with pork are cumin, chili powder, rosemary, black pepper, sage, fennel, ginger and much more!

Tip #2: Season the chops with salt half an hour before cooking. This way, the salt has a chance to improve the flavor and texture of the meat. Pork chops are lean, so seasoning with salt before cooking is essential for making the most flavorful chops. Tip #3: Rub the chops with spices and some flour.

What makes pork taste better? ›

Marinades aren't just great for imparting flavor — they also help lock in moisture and tenderize your meat. For pork, you can marinate for up to 12 hours prior to cooking. Just be sure to store marinating pork in the refrigerator and do your best to cover all sides of meat with liquid or turn the meat occasionally.

In fact, taking the chill off your roasts, pork chops, and even fish fillets before cooking will produce juicier, more evenly cooked meat. When it comes to quick-searing a relatively thin cut of meat, like a thin steak, it doesn't make a lot of difference if the center is cold.

Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you plan to start cooking. Bringing the meat up to room temperature helps it cook more evenly throughout.

Braising takes pan-fried pork chops one delicious step further. Braising is also a forgiving cooking method. Because the chops finish by simmering in liquids, they won't dry out as easily. Just give them a quick high-heat sear in the skillet first.

Try a Marinade or Brine. A marinade or brine can introduce more moisture or lots of flavor into your meat before you cook it. A marinade is a sauce that introduces extra flavor to your pork, depending on the aromatics or herbs you choose to include. A brine pulls more moisture into the meat, which keeps your pork juicy ...

Sear the pork, then bake it.

For instance, you might sear your pork in a hot pan on the stove (or on the grill), then transfer your pork to the oven (or move it to a cooler area of the grill and close the lid) for the rest of its cooking time. The indirect heat is vital to keeping your pork tender and juicy.