Chop It Like It’s Hot: 5 Pork Chop Recipes You Can't Resist

We love how versatile pork chops are for dinner. Whether you roast them, grill them, fry them, or smother them in all sorts of goodness, these pork chop recipes turn pork into something your family will ask you to make again and again. 

Stuffed Pork Chops

Stuffing makes just about any meat taste better. This cheesy spinach stuffing elevates pork chops from just your average meat to something worthy of a special occasion. It makes 6 servings. 

Ingredients

• 6 1½-inch thick pork chops
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup plus 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 8 cups water
• 1¼ cups of breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bag fresh baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet (about 3 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Using a paring knife, make a one-inch long cut near the bone on the chop.
2. Gently work the knife into the chop to create a pocket for the stuffing.
3. Try to get as large a pocket as you can without actually cutting through to the outside of the chop.
4. Mix water, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl large enough to hold 6 pork chops.
5. Place the pork chops into the brining liquid.
6. Make sure the chops are completely covered with the brine.
7. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for one to three hours.
8. Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
9. In a large bowl, mix the pine nuts and breadcrumbs.
10. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat.
11. Add the spinach to the oil and sauté until it starts to wilt.
12. Add the garlic and cook until it's fragrant, about 30 seconds.
13. Remove from heat and drain the liquids from the spinach using a strainer or colander.
14. Add the spinach to the breadcrumb mix along with the cheese.
15. Stir in lemon juice and the salt, pepper, and nutmeg, mixing well.
16. Stuff the pork chops with the stuffing.
17. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
18. In a large ovenproof skillet, pour in enough oil to coat the bottom.
19. Heat the skillet over a medium-high heat.
20. Once the oil is hot, place the chops into the skillet and cook until they are well browned, about three minutes per side.
21. Put the pan in the preheated oven.
22. Cook the chops for 10 minutes, and then flip them.
23. Cook for another five minutes and check the temperature with your thermometer.
24. Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
25. Let the pork chops rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Soy Honey Marinated Pork Chops

A little sweet and a little salty, these marinated chops go great with a side of rice. The recipe serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 1½-inch thick pork chops
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup honey
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ cup cold water

Instructions

1. Whisk the soy sauce, honey, applesauce, apple juice, and brown sugar in a bowl. 
2. Add the pork chops and toss to coat.
3. Tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate it.
4. Let the chops marinate for at least four hours, giving the bowl a good shake about every 30 minutes or so.
5. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
6. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and place them on a rack on a cookie sheet.
7. You may want to place a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet or cover the cookie sheet with foil to help with clean up. The marinade will be hard to scrub off since there is a lot of sugar in it.
8. Bake the chops in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Check the temperature with a thermometer. The chops should be a minimum of 145°F.
9. Let the chops rest for 10 minutes before serving.
10. While the chops are resting, strain the marinade into a saucepan.
11. Bring the marinade to a boil for about five minutes to kill bacteria.
12. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cool water.
13. Stir the dissolved cornstarch into the marinade and simmer, stirring, until it reaches a sauce-like consistency.
14. Serve the sauce with the chops.

Coffee Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

Coffee adds dark and savory flavors to these grilled pork chops. The recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 cup coffee
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Instructions

1. Whisk together mustard, molasses, coffee, garlic, salt, pepper, and ginger.
2. Pour the mixture in a large zipper bag. Add the pork chops and seal the bag. Shake to coat the chops well.
3. Refrigerate the chops for two hours, shaking the bag occasionally to coat.
4. Heat your grill to medium-high. Grill the chops until an internal temperature reaches 145°F, about eight minutes per side.
5. Allow the pork to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

A dry rub with a little bit of brown sugar in it adds tons of sweet and spicy flavor to mild pork. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• 4¾ inch thick pork chops
• Oil

Method

1. Combine cumin, pepper, coriander, paprika, brown sugar, and sea salt in a small bowl.
2. Pat pork chops dry and rub with the rub.
3. Seal in a plastic zip bag and refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to overnight.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil until it is shimmering hot over medium-high heat.
5. Add pork to the skillet in a single layer.
6. Cook the chops until well browned on both sides, about five minutes per side. Internal temperature should reach 145°F.
7. If the chops are slightly thicker, you can reduce the heat to medium-low after they're browned, cover, and cook for about five minutes until they come up to temperature.
8. Allow the chops to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Smothered Pork Chops

These pork chops get super tender as they cook, and they're smothered with all sorts of yummy stuff. The recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 pork chops, about ¾ inch thick each
• 2 onions, halved and sliced thinly
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat, rendering the fat.
2. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the fat with a slotted spoon and set aside to either garnish pork later or for another use.
3. Add flour to the bacon fat and whisk, stirring constantly until the flour is golden, about five minutes.
4. Whisk in 2½ cups of chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the mixture thickens.
5. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high until it shimmers.
7. Dry the surface of pork chops and season them liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
8. Cook the chops in the oil until well browned on both sides (about three minutes per side), being careful not to crowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
9. Remove the chops from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
10. Add onions to the oil in the skillet, along with two tablespoons of broth and the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium-low and scrape any cooked on bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
11. Cook until the onions soften, about four minutes.
12. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
13. Stir in the thyme.
14. Return the pork chops to the skillet, along with any juices that have collected on the plate.
15. Spoon the mushrooms and onions over the top of the pork.
16. Add the gravy that has been set aside.
17. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer on the stovetop until the pork is very tender, about 30 minutes.
18. Remove the pork from the sauce and allow the sauce to simmer for another four or five minutes to thicken. Serve pork topped with gravy.

Related: How to Cook Bacon to the Perfect Crispness Every Time

Delicious Dinners

We love how easy it is to change pork chops completely with a few recipes. These versatile chops are a perfect main course, no matter how you cook them.