Cook's Illustrated Pork Chops

For a pork chop recipe that would produce juicy, tender pork chops quickly, we passed over hefty chops in favor of 1/2-inch-thick, bone-in rib chops. For juicy meat, we placed the chops in a cold pan over medium heat, then covered them. Although starting meat in a cold pan sounds odd, if not downright weird, we found that this unconventional method was the key to a foolproof, quick-cooking, weeknight pork chop recipe.

In this recipe, “natural” pork chops -- not “enhanced” -- work best; the liquid injected into enhanced pork inhibits browning. Electric burners are slower to heat than gas burners, so, if using one, begin heating the burner before seasoning the chops. When cooking the first side of the chops, use color as an indicator of when to flip them; to determine doneness, use an instant-read thermometer -- do not go solely by cooking times. Serve these simple pork chops with chutney or applesauce, or try one of the variations.

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