How do I cook a pork chop so it is not dry?

The thickness, the fat cap and the resting temperature that separate a juicy chop from a tough one.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 25 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Buy thick chops, render the fat edge first, then cook over medium heat and pull at 63°C. Pork is safe at 63°C with a rest — cooking it until white all through is why most pork chops are dry.

Pork chops are usually ruined by outdated advice. Modern pork is safe at 63°C, which leaves it slightly pink and considerably juicier. Thin chops are the other problem — they cannot be cooked without overshooting.

Safety

Pork is safe at 63°C with a three-minute rest. The old advice to cook pork until well done reflects a risk that no longer applies to modern pork in most countries, but check local guidance.

What you'll need

Thick pork chops
Heavy pan
Tongs (optional)
Thermometer (optional)

Step by step

Buy chops at least 3cm thick.Thin chops overcook before they brown. Thickness is what gives you any control at all.
Take them out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead and dry them.Cold meat cooks unevenly and wet meat will not brown.
Render the fat edge first.Hold the chop fat-edge down in the pan with tongs for two or three minutes. The rendered fat then cooks the rest of the chop.
Brown both flat sides over medium-high heat.Three or four minutes a side depending on thickness. One turn, no fiddling.
Finish gently, basting with butter if you have it.Lower the heat, add butter, garlic and thyme, and spoon it over. It bastes and flavours at the same time.
Pull at 63°C and rest for three to five minutes.It will carry over a couple of degrees. Slightly pink in the centre is correct and safe.
Use the pan for a quick sauce.Deglaze with cider, stock or wine, reduce, and add a knob of butter. Two minutes, and it transforms the plate.

Tips

Bone-in chops stay juicier than boneless and are usually cheaper. The bone slows heat reaching the centre.
A 30-minute brine helps pork as much as it helps chicken, particularly with leaner loin chops.
If your chops are thin, cook them fast over high heat and accept a shorter window — do not try to cook them gently.

Common mistakes

Cooking pork until it is white throughout — That is well past 63°C and the meat is dry. Modern pork is safe slightly pink.
Buying thin chops and cooking them slowly — They overcook before browning. Thin chops need high heat and a very short time.
Not rendering the fat edge — You get a rubbery strip of unrendered fat and miss the flavour it would have added to the pan.

Questions people ask

Can pork be pink in the middle?

Yes. Whole cuts of pork are safe at 63°C with a three-minute rest, which leaves the centre slightly pink and much juicier. Minced pork must be cooked through.

Why are my pork chops always tough?

Usually overcooking, or chops that are too thin to cook without overshooting. Buy thicker chops and pull them at 63°C.