Easy Broiled Pork Chops Recipe

Easy Broiled Pork Chops recipe made in one pan in 20 minutes that are tender, juicy, and delish. A gluten-free, keto, and low-carb recipe that is sure to please the entire family! And it comes with a plus: no marinade needed!

TO BROIL OR NOT TO BROIL, that is the question!

I say, heck yes! Some chefs think pork chops are not for broiling. This chef here partially disagrees with them.

Here is why!

Broiling and grilling are both dry-heat cooking methods as well as great browning techniques. They both use very high heat to produce a brown exterior and cook meats quickly.

The best broiled meats have a well-browned, tasty crust on the outside, while the inside is cooked to the desired doneness and still juicy. Moreover, only tender cuts with a good fat content are best for broiling.

It is true that the juiciest broiled meats are those that are cooked rare or medium. Because of the intense heat (around 500°F), it is hard to broil well-done meats and still keep them juicy.

This makes pork and veal, usually cooked and consumed well done, more suitable for griddling and braising than broiling and grilling.

I agree with most of the above. But there are other workarounds for how to broil pork chops while still keeping them juicy, with a nice brown crust. See tips below!

TIPS FOR BROILING TENDER AND JUICY PORK CHOPS

1. Give preference to bone-in pork chops with good marbling, which helps to lock in moisture and flavor. Or alternatively, buy thick (1 to 1-½-inch) boneless loin pork chops that can be brined ahead, and keep them moist!
2. Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. What that means is, leave chops out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
3. Sear pork chops for 1 minute per side on the stovetop and then transfer to the broiler on a rack that is about 7-inch away from the broiler instead of the usual 4-inches. That means, lower the rack in order to cook the pork chops to the well-done stage without them drying out.
4. Cook meat to 140 °F internal temperature instead of the recommended 145 °F. Temperature will rise after meat is removed from oven and resting, achieving the 145 °F mark.
5. Let broiled pork chops rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting, allowing the moisture to seal in.

That is exactly how to broil pork chops that are tender and juicy!

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

In a broiler, the heat source is above the food.

Broiling aims for two goals:

• A brown, crusty exterior
• Meat cooked to the desired doneness

Here is what you need to know about broiled pork chops temperature and broiling temps for other meats:

• The shorter the cooking time (i.e. to obtain a rare or medium degree of doneness), the higher the temperature must be. That way the meat will brown and still cook to the desired level of doneness. It is ideal for steaks and thin cuts!
• The longer the cooking time (i.e. to produce a well-done stage), the lower the temperature. That way the meat won’t brown too much before the inside is done. It’s the best approach for broiling pork chops and veal, as well as for thick cuts of meat.

The broiling temperature in a standard oven can be adjusted by raising or lowering the rack. The farther from the broiler, the lower the temperature. The closest to the broiler, the higher the temp.

SEASONING

Some chefs advise not to season meats before broiling since salt draws moisture to the surface and retards browning. Others feel that seasoning before broiling improves the flavor of the meat.

This is not an issue if you have a professional broiler. Once sufficiently heated, it browns well meats that have been salted. But in a home broiler, the temperature is not sufficiently hot to brown salted meats well enough.

Some ways around this problem are:

• Brine in saltwater, or marinate the pork chops in seasoned oil for 30 minutes before broiling.
• Serve the meat with seasoned butter or a sauce.

Our recipe results in tender garlic-brined pork chops with a sweet and sour flavor from the sauce.

SAUCES FOR PORK CHOPS

Part of the appeal of broiled pork chops is their brown, crisp surface. For this reason, some think it’s best not to cover them with sauce -- rather to serve it on the side.

I think sauce adds extra flavor and moisture – just like for baked pork. Ours is translucent enough to cover the chops and still see the brown crust, keeping the visual appeal. The same goes for compound butters!

Our sauce calls for honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice. But you can replace honey with brown sugar or even sugar-free maple syrup in order to make this a low carb meal. It all depends on your preferred type of sauce and personal choices.

HOW TO COOK PORK CHOPS WITHOUT A BROILING PAN?

You don’t need a broiling pan to broil pork chops properly.

A heavy cast iron skillet is the answer! You can also use as a substitute a roasting pan, a cookie or baking sheet lined with foil for easier clean-up, or an aluminum baking tray.

INGREDIENTS & TOOLS

• Pork chops
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Olive oil
• Honey (or sugar-free maple syrup to make it keto)
• Soy sauce
• Lemon juice

To make this easy broiled pork chops recipe, you will need:

• Thick-cut pork chops: around 1 to 1.5 inches thick. These are easier to cook properly than thin-cut pork chops. If your grocery store only offers thin chops, ask at the meat counter to cut them thicker.
• Bone-in or boneless: the bone-in pork chops keep moist easier and have more flavor. But boneless pork chops work for this recipe, too. In fact, I made mine with them this time. Follow our recipe directions to avoid overcooking them.
• Fresh: look for chops that have a deep reddish-pink or reddish-purple color. Avoid grayish or white chops. If bone-in, the fat should be white and creamy, not dotted with dark spots. Whether bone-in or boneless, both should be firm, and not soft and squishy.

You will also need:

• A cast iron skillet: it holds heat and cooks the chops more evenly. But if you prefer, you can replace this with a cookie sheet lined with foil.
• Tongs: to flip pork.
• An instant-read thermometer:  to ensure that your pork is not over- or under-cooked.

 HOW TO BROIL PORK CHOPS

These oven broiled pork chops are easy to make and have a super delish flavor. To cook them right, follow the steps below:

1. IF USING BONELESS PORK CHOPS, brine the pork. In a medium bowl, combine warm water and salt (about 1 tablespoon per cup of water) and stir until the salt is dissolved. Submerge the pork chops in a sufficient amount of salt water and soak for at least 30 minutes (at room temp) or overnight (in the fridge). Then, remove the pork chops and rinse them off with cold water. Pat them dry well with paper towels and place them on a plate. If using BONE-IN PORK CHOPS, you may skip the brining step! For either type of chops, make sure to let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting to cook and pat them dry very, very well to ensure proper browning.
2. Position the oven rack 7 inches away from the broiler. Then preheat the oven to broil for at least 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat your skillet over high heat for about 4-5 minutes. While the pan is heating, season the pork all over with a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika (SEE PIC.1). Brush the pork chops on both sides with olive oil (SEE PIC.2).
4. Add the remaining oil to the pan and swirl to evenly coat the bottom. Sear the pork on one side for 1 minute, pressing the tops of the chops flat with a metal spatula. Then flip and sear for an additional 1 minute (SEE PIC.3).
5. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil for 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the pork chops, and let broil for 4 minutes more (SEE PIC.4). Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the pork chop. If bone-in, make sure to not touch the bone. It has to reach an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C) but I prefer 140°F (60°C) since pork will keep cooking outside the oven for a while, reaching the 145°F mark outside the oven.
6. Transfer chops to a plate. cover with foil, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
7. Using the same pan, stir honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice in with the pork juices in the pan (SEE PIC.5). Let cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to half and thickens (about 5 minutes) (SEE PIC.6).
8. Spoon sauce over chops and serve. You may garnish with chopped parsley or another herb of your choice.

CAN YOU FREEZE BROILED PORK CHOPS?

Yes! After cooling completely, store broiled pork chops with the sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge and reheat.

HOW LONG TO BROIL PORK CHOPS?

How long should pork chops be cooked? Well, the goal is to broil thick pork chops (either bone-in or boneless) until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C). What differs between them is the cooking time.

Broiling times (thin and thick pork chops)

• ½-inch (1.25 cm) take about 3-4 minutes per side (boneless). Or 2-3 minutes per side (bone-in). Although it is possible to do so, avoid broiling thin pork chops (½-inch or less). They can overcook before reaching a brown exterior.
• ¾-inch (2 cm) chops take 6-7 minutes per side (boneless). Or 5-6 minutes per side (bone-in).
• 1-inch (2.5 cm) chops take 8-9 minutes per side (boneless). Or 7-8 minutes per side (bone-in).
• 1-½ inches (4 cm) take 10-11 minutes per side (boneless). Or 9-10 minutes per side (bone-in).

Keep in mind that bone-in pork chops cook about 1-2 minutes faster than boneless chops.

Another thing to take into account is whether you have seared the chops on the stovetop before broiling. In that case, broil chops 1 minute less per side than the time stated above on the cooking chart.

Sometimes boneless pork chops have one side that is thicker than the other. If, for example, one side is 1-inch thick and the opposite side is ¾-inch thick, cook the chops based on the time for the thinner side. This prevents overcooking which can result in undesirable toughness. While resting outside the oven/broiler, the meat will continue to cook internally for a while.

WHAT TEMPERATURE DO YOU BROIL PORK CHOPS IN THE OVEN?

The broiler temperature in a standard oven is usually 500° F to 550° F (260°– 290° C). But the goal is to reach an internal temperature of 145° F (62° C)

PORK CHOP MARINADE

No marinade is needed for these chops. But if you prefer, marinade them in a mixture of oil and seasonings for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

If using boneless pork chops, make sure to brine chops before cooking in order to seal in moisture.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO BAKE AND BROIL PORK CHOPS?

You can choose either baking or broiling for bone-in or boneless thick pork chops. For thin pork chops (½-inch or less), baking is a better method to produce tender, moist pork.

HOW CAN YOU BROIL THIN PORK CHOPS?

Broiled thin pork chops are hard to cook evenly without them drying out. They can easily overcook inside before the outside reaches the desired degree of brownness. I don’t recommend it!

HOW TO REHEAT BROILED PORK CHOPS

• After thawing in the fridge, reheat the chops in the microwave (about 1-2 minutes, depending on how thick) with or without sauce. Alternatively, reheat over low heat (only with sauce) just until hot.
• If chops are not heated with a sauce to retain moisture, reheat chops in a preheated oven at 350℉. To do this, place chops on a small roasting pan covered with foil. Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH PORK 

• Raw Salad – great as a fresh side!
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes – for a more substantial and comforting meal!
• Broccoli Gratin – as a low-carb side.
• Steamed or roasted vegetables

OTHER PORK RECIPES

• Stuffed Pork Loin
• Mustard-breaded pork chops
• Chipotle barbecue pork ribs
• Griddled pork chops
• Pressure cooker sweet and sour pork
• Brazilian pork ribs
• Garlic pork loin
• Pork Stroganoff

PIN & ENJOY!