Tender Baked Pork Loin Chops

Pork chops have a bad reputation that they don't entirely deserve. The problem isn't pork. It's the method. Straight into the oven, no sear, no love, and you get something chalky and beige that needs to be drowned in sauce to be edible. Sear them first, finish them in the oven, and you get a completely different result: golden crust, juicy interior, something worth putting on the dinner table on a regular Wednesday.

The sear does two things. It creates color and flavor on the outside through browning, which you simply cannot get from an oven alone. And it starts the cooking process from the outside in, so the chops spend less time in the dry heat of the oven, which is what dries them out in the first place. You're in and out in 25 minutes total, and the result looks and tastes like you put in real effort.

Pork loin chops are cut from the loin, one of the leanest parts of the pig. That lean quality means they can go dry fast if you overcook them. Pull them at 145°F internal temperature and let them rest for a few minutes. That's where the juicy part lives.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops, about 1 inch thick (thinner than that and they'll overcook fast)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Pull your pork chops out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. Room temperature meat sears and cooks more evenly than cold meat straight from the fridge.

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chops completely dry with paper towels. This matters more than people think. Moisture on the surface creates steam, and steam is the enemy of a good sear.

3. Mix the garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil all over both sides of each chop, then press the seasoning mix onto both sides.

4. Heat an oven-safe skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and let it get hot until it just starts to shimmer. You want the pan genuinely hot before the pork goes in.

5. Place the chops in the skillet and do not move them. Sear for 2 minutes on the first side without touching, then flip and sear the second side for another 2 minutes. You're looking for a deep golden-brown crust. If the pan is smoking a little, that's fine.

6. Transfer the skillet directly into the preheated oven. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F. Start checking at 15 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and let the chops rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving. The internal temperature will rise a few more degrees as they rest, and the juices will redistribute through the meat instead of running out when you cut in.

Tips

The resting step is not optional. Cut into a pork chop immediately out of the oven and all the juices puddle onto the plate. Wait five minutes and they stay in the meat where they belong.

Keep leftover chops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat without drying them out, slice them thin and warm them in a covered skillet with a small splash of chicken broth over medium-low heat. The moisture from the broth keeps them from tightening up.

Want more flavor: add a teaspoon of dried thyme or rosemary to the seasoning mix, or press a clove of minced garlic into each chop before searing. A quick pan sauce made with the drippings, a little chicken broth, and a squeeze of lemon turns this into something you'd serve at a dinner party.