pork chops
A cut from the pork loin, sold bone-in or boneless, that cooks quickly because it's fairly lean -- and dries out just as quickly if overcooked past medium. Thickness varies a great deal by package, and thickness is the single biggest factor in how fast a chop cooks through.
Buying guidance
Choose chops at least three-quarters of an inch thick when possible; thin-cut chops, often labeled quick-cooking, go from done to dry in under a minute of extra heat and are much harder to time well. Bone-in chops stay juicier and are more forgiving than boneless, since the bone slows heat penetration near the joint.
Substitutions
- Boneless pork loin steaks -- essentially the same cut, interchangeable.
- Bone-in chicken thighs -- similar quick-cook profile but more forgiving of a little overcooking, since thighs carry more fat.
- Pork tenderloin, sliced into medallions -- even leaner than a chop, so watch it even more closely.
Tips & common mistakes
Older advice to cook pork chops until the juices run clear and the inside looks gray leads to a dry, tough result with today's leaner pork -- a small amount of pink at the center is safe, and using a thermometer to pull the chop a bit before it looks done, then resting it, keeps it juicier.
Storage
Because they're thin compared to a roast, chops freeze and thaw much faster than a shoulder or butt -- a package thaws safely in the refrigerator within a day, with none of the multi-day lead time a large roast needs.