OK, something you should know about me. I used to kill pork chops. I could turn them into the driest, most unpalatable piece of meat anyone could ever imagine. And how did I do it? I totally overcooked the poor babies, that’s how! Oh they were seasoned beautifully and should have been great. But I’m from the generation that was taught to beware of under cooking pork. That tiny little off chance that the provider of the meat (that would be the pig) might have somehow contracted trichinosis. Well friends, trichinosis simply isn’t a major consideration any longer. So now that I have finally arrived in the 21st century, I too can turn out a mean pork chop. (And I mean mean in a good way!)
So the other evening as I was staring at two lovely, thick pork chops, I decided to bake them. But what was needed was some kind of flavor additive. And since I am really into smoked paprika right now, I decided to use it along with some of my other favorite ingredients to make a dry rub for the chops. The combination worked. And with a little help from my instant read food thermometer, I produced a couple of pork chops that were juicy, tender, and delicious. I am so proud of me!
So if you too have been butchering (figuratively speaking) pork chops to the point that your family runs and hides when they are being served, give this recipe a try. I promise if you start with a thick chop, dry rub it, and don’t bake it to extinction, your family will beg you to fix this easy recipe again. (BTW, brining works great too, but that’s a recipe for another time.)
- cooking spray
- 4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick (no thinner)
- 4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
Lightly spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Lay the pork chops in the pan. Pour the olive oil over the top of each pork chop. Rub the oil all over the chop with your fingers. Wash your hands.
In a small bowl mix the salt, a goodly amount of pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic, and smoked paprika together. Season both sides of the pork chop with the mix. Rub the mix into the chops with your fingers. Yes, wash your hands again!
Bake the chops in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. No more! Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.