Tennessee Whiskey Pork Chops Recipe | Kita Roberts GirlCarnivore.com (2024)

FAQs

Should you soak pork chops before cooking? ›

By soaking the pork chops in a mixture of water, salt, and additional flavorings (more on that in a moment), you can help the meat to draw in moisture and add tons of savory flavor. Turns out that brining is especially useful for lean meats like pork and poultry, which can sometimes be dry and bland.

Pounding: There are three reasons to pound meat. One is to tenderize. The pounding breaks down connective tissues. It's not only used with pork, but also with other meats and cuts that might otherwise be a bit tough, such as beef round steak.

How do you make pork soft and tender? Soak your pork in a salt-based brine before cooking it using your desired method. Pork chops need to soak between 12–24 hours, an entire pork tenderloin needs to soak for 6–12 hours, and an entire pork loin requires 2–4 days of soaking.

Marinate the Pork Chops

Mild tenderizing is accomplished through the use of acidic ingredients. Lemon juice, flavored vinegar, red wine, and coffee are all recommended as marinade ingredients that can soften the meat a little.

No, you do not want to rinse the marinade off of the pork chops. If you're grilling the pork chops, they can go straight from the marinade onto the grill. If you're cooking the pork chops in a skillet, I do recommend patting them dry before adding them to the skillet.

Ingredients: Paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper. Instructions: Mix the spices in a dish and rub the mixture onto the pork steaks. Allow them to sit for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

Don't brine chops for more than four hours, or they can get too salty or the meat can become mushy. A pork tenderloin will need more time, so aim for two to four hours of brine time. And a large pork shoulder can brine overnight.

While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.

Cook them low and slow. Most times, when we cook pork, we cook it at high temps. Pork, and pork chops in particular, cook up pretty fast. However, pork only needs an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Heat a grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Coat the pork chops with EVOO and season liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the chops, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes, basting liberally with the glaze during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

What is the secret to juicy tender pork chops? ›

Fat is key to keeping pork chops moist

Basting them with fat, such as butter. Add in aromatics while basting for more flavor — similar to how you might cook a steak — and then you have the added bonus of browned butter and crispy garlic and/or herbs to serve with the meat.

Papain, an enzyme derived from papayas and bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple are both excellent meat tenderizers, notes Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RDN. Use the fruit and their juices to tenderize meats or purchase commercial meat tenderizer products made with papain and bromelain.

Under or overcooking your pork chops.

And, if you've ever encountered a dried-out, tough, chewy pork chop, that's a telltale sign of overcooking. Follow this tip: The most reliable way to test the doneness of pork chops is by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chop.

Using a brine or a marinade will make your life so much easier. If you're not confident in your cooking skills, there is one foolproof way to guarantee your pork ends up on the tender side, even if you cook it too long: Soak it in a brine or a marinade.

Because pork chops are such a lean cut, they are relatively quick-cooking and prone to overcooking. When they're cooked for even a few minutes too long, whether it's in the oven or on the stovetop or grill, they're quick to dry out, and — you guessed it — become tough, chewy, and less than appealing.