Pork_Chops.jpg

National Pork Board

Pork Chops

Also indexed as: Butterfly Loin Chops, Loin Pork Chops, Rib Pork Chops

People have enjoyed pork since pigs were domesticated, around 7,000 BC.

Pork chops are serving-sized pieces of meat, often containing a small piece of bone. People have enjoyed pork since pigs were domesticated around 7,000 BC. Pork has been a staple worldwide, particularly in China, where farmers raised small pigs along with the family inside their huts. Since the 1950s, pork producers have improved breeding and feeding practices, so that today pork is 50% leaner than it was 40 years ago.

Varieties

The most tender chops are cut from the loin, slightly less tender chops come from the ribs, and at another step down the ladder are chops from the sirloin. Though they vary in tenderness, all pork chops have dense, lean, mild tasting meat.

Loin pork chops are tender, prime chops with a characteristic T-bone on one side.

Butterfly loin chops are boneless chops cut from the eye of the loin.

Rib pork chops are tender, prime chops.

Sirloin, top loin, and loin blade chops are value-priced pork chops.

Buying and storing tips

Pork chop meat should be reddish pink. A darker red indicates acidic pork, meat that tends to be juicy and delicious but does not keep and must be eaten immediately. Avoid cutlets that have a brown or greenish tinge or that are slimy or have an odor. External fat should be trimmed to about 1/8 inch (0.3cm) in thickness.

Keep raw pork chops in their original wrapping and store them in the refrigerator, where they will keep for one to two days. Cooked pork will keep four to five days in the refrigerator. To freeze, wrap meat well in plastic, foil, or butcher paper and store at 18°F (0°C) for up to ten months. Leftover cooked pork chops may be frozen for one month. Thaw frozen pork in the refrigerator 8 to 10 hours, depending on size and number of chops. Do not refreeze thawed pork chops.

Availability

Pork chops are available fresh or frozen year-round in most grocery stores.

Preparation, uses, and tips

The parasite that causes trichinosis has been virtually eliminated from commercially grown pork. It is neither necessary nor desirable to cook pork until it is completely white. Today’s pork is so lean that overcooking makes it tough.

Pork chops can be broiled, sautéed, grilled, braised, or baked. They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C). When done, the internal color changes to white with traces of pink in the center. To prepare for cooking, trim visible fat from the chops.

To broil, place chops on a pan about four inches (10cm) from the element and cook on each side. Cook until the chops reach an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C), 4 to 11 minutes per side; thick meat with bone in takes longer than thinner, boneless chops.

Bake chops (stuffed with prunes, apples, or bread crumbs if desired) in an oiled pan in a 350°F (180°C) oven until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C), about 30 minutes.

To braise, heat oil in a pan on the stove, brown chops briefly on both sides, place chops in a baking dish with sauce, cover, and cook at 325°F (170°C) until tender, about 1 hour.

To sauté, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, or use a nonstick pan. Cook on both sides until the center meat is white but still juicy, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C), a total of 7 to 8 minutes depending on thickness of the chops.

To grill, brush chops with oil on both sides and grill over coals about 4 minutes per side or until chops are white but still juicy on the inside and have reached an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C).

Nutritional Highlights

Pork chop (1 loin blade chop, bone-in broiled), 3 oz. (85.05g)
Calories: 272
Protein: 19.1g
Carbohydrate: 0.0g
Total Fat: 21.1g
Fiber: 0.0g

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.