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How to Cook Thick Pork Chops

by · Last modified: · 63 Comments

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Cooking time: 30 minutes

The best way to cook thick pork chops is a brief pan searing followed by baking to 145°. Use 1 ½ to 2-inch chops seasoned to your taste, and I love to add the easy homemade gravy for a delicious comfort food dinner.

🐖Ingredients

Thick pork chops—1½ to 2 inch thick, boneless or bone-in
Seasoning salt—Lawry's or similar
Black Pepper
For Gravy—broth, flour, water

thick pork chop with gravy on a blue plate.
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Featured Comment by Debbie:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I tried your recipe tonight. I am not a big fan of pork chops, they always end up a bit dry. I followed your recipe, including the brine…THEY WERE THE BEST CHOPS I HAVE EVER EATEN!! I will never cook them any other way."

Cooking thick-cut pork chops can be intimidating to home cooks, but this easy sear-and-bake recipe will yield incredibly juicy and tender chops. You can also step it up with a marinade or optional brine.

Today's pork is not yesterday's pork. It is now lean, healthy meat and can be delicious protein for a healthy, balanced diet.

Do you need a recipe for 1-inch-thick pork chops? For inside cooking, check out Fried Pork Chops with Gravy, Breaded Pork Chops, or Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops. For the grill see How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill.

👨‍🍳How to Cook Thick-Cut Pork Chops—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

Thick pork chops with seasoning and gravy ingredients labeled.
2 inch thick pork chops with trimmed and scored fat.

1. I prefer boneless, 2-inch center-cut pork chops. Trim the fat ring and slice relief cuts. Rest at room temperature.

seasoning pork chops with pepper and seasoning salt.

2. Pat dry with paper towels and season to taste with seasoning salt and pepper.

thick pork chops searing in cast iron skillet.

3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear both sides of the chops for 2-3 minutes until gettings some nice browning.

tenting pork chops on orange plate with foil.

4. Transfer to 375° convection or 400° conventional and cook until an internal temperature of 145°-150°—about 20-25 minutes. Bone-in chops will take a few minutes longer. Remove and tent with foil.

Optional Gravy

adding flour slurry to pan to make gravy.

5. Whisk flour into half of the broth. Bring the remaining broth to a boil. Slowly add the broth/flour mixture while continuously whisking.

stirring brown gravy in skilling while thickening.

6. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.

pouring gravy on pork chop and potatoes.

⏰How long to cook thick pork chops

The total cooking time for a 2-inch thick boneless pork chop will be about 30 minutes. This includes 4 to 5 minutes of searing time plus about 20-25 minutes in a 375° convection or 400° conventional oven to reach 145° internal temperature. A bone-in chop will take a few minutes more.

Several variables will affect the cooking time of thick-cut pork chops: the thickness, the duration of searing, the temperature of both the meat and oven and the searing time.

The pan-searing is needed to create a Maillard reaction which is the browning that adds lots of taste. Skipping searing will add a few minutes to the total cooking time and decrease the quality of the results without the Maillard reaction.

🌡️Levels of cooked pork doneness

The USDA recommends a 145° minimum internal temperature with a 3-minute rest for safety. Remember, the final temperature may rise a few degrees after removal from the oven.

Rare—less than 145° is not recommended due to USDA safety recommendations.

Medium-Rare is 145°-150° with a touch of pink.

Medium is 150°-155° with the pink disappearing and a little dryer.

Medium-Well is 155°-160° is starting to dry significantly.

Well Done is 160°+ not recommended due to dryness.

🧂Seasoning

I recommend keeping it simple with your favorite seasoning, salt, and pepper, but you can use any seasoning you wish. You should not add salt if you brine, so I recommend some paprika with black pepper.

A marinade will add a lot of flavor. My steak marinade recipe also works well on pork chops.

✔️Get it right every time

Choose the pork chops you want. I like to use boneless 2-inch thick center-cut pork chops. But chops may be between 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches thick, with or without bones. 2 ½ inches or above needs some adjustment to the technique discussed below.

Resting at room temperature is the first secret to all thick-cut pork chop recipes. An old trick but a goodie, let room temperature get you a 30° jump on getting to chops fully cooked. Your cooking will be much faster and easier. So rest for at least 30 minutes but an hour is better.

Start looking at the temperature of the meat after about 12-15 minutes in the oven since it will cook faster. Remember you are cooking to a final temperature and not by time.

👨‍🍳Cooking pork chops 2 ½ inches or thicker

Many people will assume with thicker meat; you should use a higher temperature. The truth is the opposite. There must be time to cook the center of thick meat while not overcooking and drying the surface.

Decrease the oven temperature by 25° to 350° convection or 375° conventional. Be careful not to over-sear and cook to a final internal temperature. It will take 5 to 10 minutes more.

Another option would be to use a reverse searing method: bake to 140° in the oven, then sear on the stovetop as the last step to bring the temperature to a minimum of 145°.

🧂Should I brine thick pork chops

I recommend brining it if you have the time, but I have excellent results without brining.

To brine pork chops:

  1. Combine 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar (brown or white) with 2 cups of water.
  2. Add the chops and refrigerate for 30 minutes to a few hours. After brining, rinse well to remove extra salt.
  3. You have already salted the chops, so do not use seasoning salt. Just some pepper and a sprinkle of paprika would be good.

🔥Grilling thick pork chops

While I prefer to cook thick chops by the sear and oven-bake method, grilling does add some unique flavor.

  1. Follow the sear and bake instructions for trimming, resting at room temperature, optional brining, and seasoning, but do not sear.
  2. Preheat the grill to 350° to 400° surface temperature.
  3. Grill the chops, flipping every 5 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°—about 20-25 minutes, but it's variable.
  4. Remove and tent for 5 minutes before serving.

🥣Making the optional gravy

Everybody loves gravy, so let's make some great quick, and easy gravy.

I like to use a pork gravy base from Penzeys to make "pork broth." You can use chicken or vegetable broth if you don't have the gravy base.

There are two basic ways to make gravy. You can make a roux by mixing flour with the grease in the pan and cooking for a few minutes. Or our simple way of mixing flour in some liquid and adding that to boiling fluid.

Please visit How To Make Gravy at Home for more information on gravy.

🍴Serving

I love to serve pork chops with mashed potatoes, but try Oven Roasted Little Red Potatoes or Baked French Fries. A hot vegetable like oven-roasted asparagus, baked green beans with bacon, or baked cauliflower is a great addition.

End the meal with an easy apple crisp or blueberry cumble pie.

❄️Storing leftovers

Leftover pork chops should be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated for 4 days, or frozen for 4 months. Since gravy is made with flour, it can be stored in the same way as pork chops.

❓FAQs

Do I have to use a meat or instant-read thermometer?

Yes. There are too many variables to cook by time or color and expect acceptable results.

What broth to use to make pork gravy?

I buy a pork gravy base from Penzeys Spices and make my broth. You can also use other pork gravy bases or bouillon cubes. Otherwise, you can make gravy using just the pan drippings combined with vegetable or chicken broth.

Do I need a cast iron skillet to cook thick pork chops?

No, any oven-safe pan can work, but cast iron is perfect for searing any meat. It transfers heat perfectly, leading to even heat across the entire surface without hot spots. It also holds the heat well and is excellent for moving from the stovetop to the oven.

Cast iron is cheap, durable, and will last generations. Every home cook should have a skillet or two.

What is the minimum safe temperature for pork chops?

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature for pork is 145°.

🐖About Pork Chops

The pork chops we are talking about in this recipe will be one of the middle three in the above diagram. Usually, the "extra thick pork chops" will be a boneless slice of a whole pork loin at least 1 ½ to 2 inches thick or more.

graphic for pork chop location- licensed from Fotolia May 16,2017. Copyright foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Modified per allow by licensed.
Image licensed from Fotolia May 16, 2017. Copyright foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Modified per allowed by the license.

If you enjoy these thicker chops, pick up a whole pork loin when it is on sale and cut it yourself. It's half the price, and they will freeze great for 3-4 months.

Some thick chops will come with bone-in. This is fine but will take a few more minutes to cook since the bone will absorb more heat.

📖 Recipe

thick pork chop with gravy on a blue plate

How to Cook Thick Pork Chops

From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
The best way to cook thick pork chops is a brief pan searing followed by baking to 145°. Use 1 ½ to 2-inch chops seasoned to your taste, and I love to add the easy homemade gravy for a delicious comfort food dinner.
4.95 from 19 votes
Rating is now in the comments.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings #/Adjust if desired 2
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Ingredients

US Customary - Convert to Metric
  • 2 pork chops - 1 ½ to 2 inches thick or more
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Lawry's Seasoning salt - to taste
  • pepper - to taste

For Gravy

  • 2 teaspoons Broth—pork, chicken or vegetable.
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  1. Allow the pork chops to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes—preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional.
    2 inch thick pork chops with seasoning and gravy makings
  2. Use 1 ½ to 2-inch thick boneless or bone in pork chops. If there is a fat ring, trim it to ½ inch thick and slice it at about 1-inch intervals.
    2 inch thick pork chops with trimmed and scored fat
  3. Pat dry with paper towels and season to taste with seasoning salt and pepper.
    seasoning pork chops with pepper and seasoning salt
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the seasoned pork chops. Sear both sides of the chops for 2-3 minutes until gettings some nice browning.
    thick pork chops searing in cast iron skillet
  5. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook until an internal temperature of 145°—about 20-25 minutes. Total cooking time will be variable due to the pork's thickness and the chops' start temperature. Remove from pan and tent lightly with foil while doing the gravy phase.
    tenting pork chops on orange plate with foil

Gravy Option

  1. Using pork gravy base, mix 2 cups of pork broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth. Whisk 4 tablespoons flour into one cup of broth.
  2. Add the other one cup of your broth to the pan over medium heat. When boiling, slowly add the broth/flour mixture while continuously whisking.
    adding flour slurry to pan to make gravy
  3. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
    stirring brown gravy in skilling while thickening

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

  1. This is a recipe for thick pork chops which are at least 1 ½ inches thick. If less then use Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops.
  2. Use an oven-safe pan like cast iron.
  3. This recipe is for 1 ½ to 2-inch thick pork chops. Use boneless center cut pork chops or bone-in which will need a few more minutes.
  4. Adjustments for 2 ½ inches thick or more are covered in the post.
  5. Brine, if you have time. A suggested brine is 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons brown sugar for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Be sure to refrigerate. If you brine, do not use any seasoning with salt.
  6. The most important tip for thick pork chops is to rest to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting to cook.
  7. Sear for almost the final color you want.
  8. Never cook by time alone. Cook to the final temperature you want. Remember it will increase a few degrees after removed from the oven.
  9. The gravy is optional but very nice. I like to use pork gravy base but if you don't have that, use chicken or vegetable broth.
  10. Instructions for grilling thick pork chops are in the recipe post.

Your Own Private Notes

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Do you have a question?Leave a comment to ask or check the recipe post above for most common questions and variations.
Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print. Otherwise step-by-step photos are in the post.

To adjust the recipe size:

You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories : 701 kcal (35%)Carbohydrates : 13 g (4%)Protein : 76 g (152%)Fat : 35 g (54%)Saturated Fat : 9 g (45%)Polyunsaturated Fat : 3 gMonounsaturated Fat : 19 gTrans Fat : 0.2 gCholesterol : 198 mg (66%)Sodium : 2186 mg (91%)Potassium : 1619 mg (46%)Fiber : 1 g (4%)Sugar : 0.002 gVitamin A : 1350 IU (27%)Vitamin C : 0.2 mgCalcium : 2 mgIron : 2.9 mg (16%)
Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Course : Main Course
Cuisine : American

© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

Editor's Note: Originally published July 17, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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More Pork Chop and Loin Recipes

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  1. johnsacook says

    4 stars
    So I have found your blog and I am planning on using the recipe for my thick cut chops tonight. What I really want to know is, how tender will this make the chops. I have a family member who is dentally challenged and would like them to be able to eat them. Any ideas on how to cook tender without drying them out?

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi John,
      Welcome to the bog.

      Pork loin cuts like pork chops vary. We had a wonderfully tender 1 inch pork chop last night I cooked on the stovetop only. I cut it with a fork. BUT that is the exception. You need to have an almost guaranteed result for your situation.

      I have two things for you and one other suggestion.

      First, brine.
      A brine is used to add moisture to meat like pork loin. A standard pork brine is 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. The salt is standard table salt. If using a different salt, you should adjust accordingly. For 1-4 hours. Rinse before cooking and do NOT add any more salt.

      Second, watch the internal temperature closely. 145 (a little pink) to 155 (no pink) but not higher.

      The other suggestion is to just not do pork chops. Do pork tenderloin which is almost always fork tender. You can "fake" a pork chop by cutting into medallions. Here is a grill version but you can easily do them stove top or pan sear to oven. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/easy-grilled-pork-tenderloin-medallions/

      Hope that helps.

      Dan

  2. Sylvia says

    Truly enjoyed this. I have cooked thick cut pork chops before they did not turn out this well. I have to wonder how much of that is due to brining. thank you for sharing this recipe

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Sylvia,
      Welcome the blog.
      You may be right that the brine did a lot for you. Pork chops are from the loin and it is very lean anymore, so a brine if you have time, is always a good thing. But the pan sear to oven technique tends to keep them moister if you're careful not to overcook.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  3. Kelgirl says

    I usually dry out my chops. So I tried this recipe. What a hit! I had company show up when making them so my boyfriend and I shared with them. They were out of this world. The gracy was scrumptious and the chops juicy and delicious. I am now making them again. So good. Can't wait until they are done. Yum!

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Kelli,
      Welcome to the blog.
      I love pork chops with gravy. Glad it worked well for you.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

    • Patti says

      Do you cover the pan when placed in the oven?

    • DrDan says

      Hi Patti,
      Uncovered.
      Dan

  4. Joanne says

    Made this tonight, we all loved it, it was so so so so good!! Definitely adding to my recipe box! Thank you!

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      He Joanne,
      Welcome to the blog.
      I do love pork chops. I just did the stovetop version tonight with gravy.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  5. Angie in SoCal says

    Tried these tonight and they were delicious. Only had a 1/2 hr to brine but could tell the difference. Thanks!

    Reply

  6. Laura Zimmerman says

    Hey! Trying these tonight but of note, your recipe instructions seem to duplicate the gravy instructions with some variances?? Maybe I’m just not processing it right but I’ve read it through several times and still I’m confused! Oh well- I have enough skill to make a gravy that will turn out but you may want to edit for clarity- thanks! My kitchen smells good already having finished browning my chops!

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Laura,
      Welcome to the blog.

      And thanks for the proofread. It must have been that way for over 2 years and this is a popular recipe. I did a fast edit just now to fix that. But this recipe looks like it needs a rewrite. I will do that in the next few days.

      Thanks again.
      Dan

  7. Kate krokowski says

    For those who think these pork chops are too thick treat them like a steak. I don't like thin steak either. I like good tender moist meat not shoe leather.

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Kate,
      First, sorry for the delayed reply.
      When I go thick, I try to skip the meal before or talk my wife into splitting the meat. But truely, in a recipe like this, the center of the meat is the star.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  8. Troy says

    Gave this a try, turned out really well. I paired it with some oven roasted red potatoes/onions. After letting the potatoes bake for about 30 min. Seared the chops and then laid them on top of the potatoes to finish roasting in oven.

    Reply

  9. Rebecca Balleweg says

    I tried this recipe. I followed it as instructed. It was definitely very good. Is give it a 4 only because I felt that the brine wasn't quite salty enough. However it did make the chops moist and juicy.

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Rebecca,
      There is a range of salt that is recommended for a brine so you could up it a little but I would suggest just adding a little during cooking since it was moist.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  10. Jennifer Takagi says

    These are the absolute best pork chops I've ever eaten! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Jennifer,
      I do love a good pork chop.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  11. Adrienne Ranney says

    Hi Dr Dan,
    I made these chops this evening and they turned out great, so moist and delicious! I didn't brine since I never manage to plan ahead that far. I pretty much followed the recipe as written and I made the gravy too, I'm so impressed with myself, LOL. I've made a few of your recipes and they always turn out delicious. And I love your dogs, they are gorgeous.

    Reply

  12. Joanna says

    I make pork chops a lot and this recipe was one of my favorite! I used bone-in center-cut one inch chops. They only took about 10 minutes to cook in the oven after I browned them on the stove. I took them out at 148° and let them rest for 10 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply

  13. Jayson Zook says

    Yummy! I'm doing this today with Caramelized Onion and Bacon Spaetzle, Honey and Brown Butter Nut Squash, and German Potato Salad. But I'll be using a brown gravy for the Chops and Noodles.

    Reply

    • Kim says

      May I eat at your house?😶😄

  14. Arlene says

    I generally do not like pork chops but I had these amazing 1 3/4 inch thick chops and tried this recipe. They were not only tender but the addition of the gravy was excellent. I did brine the chops. Will definitely use this recipe again.

    Reply

    • DrDan says

      Hi Arlene,
      I do like to do a brine in a lean pork like this is possible. It seems to help if you have the time. And pork gravy is heavenly.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  15. Mike Murray says

    Hi Doc!
    New to the site and love what I see. Always loved pork chops and gravy(with noodles)
    and this one looks like a winner; Gonna try it this week.
    Had my first pan seared/oven roasted Shell last night & it was superb!
    Looking forward to trying more of your favorites.
    Thanks,
    Mike

    Reply

  16. Ben says

    A most excellent recipe, especially for a novice looking to improve their game in the kitchen. Step-by-step, and photos were spot on. Caution, watch how hot the oil gets. I did not quite understand the 'shimmer' comment. I cheated on the gravy and used the jar stuff from store (Heinz), added to the skillet to get all the good stuff and flavor into the gravy. Worked out superb. With mashed potatoes, and veggies, the meal was outstanding. I tried the brine for 35 minutes- chops were moist. DEFINATELY recommend the brine step. Minus one star for size of chops- wife and I just could not eat it all. However, made for great microwave meal at work. Very much thanks for your hard work to post this recipe. Now a keeper in our house.

    Reply