Oven baked pork chops turn out juicy and tender every time thanks to a simple brine and a sweet, savory rub. This easy, fuss-free dinner has minimal prep and big flavor the whole family will love.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Why Make It: Make these when you want juicy, flavorful pork chops with minimal effort. The quick brine and oven bake skip the stovetop sear and keep cleanup easy.
- Technique: Brining makes all the difference! Even chops that used to turn out dry are now tender and perfectly juicy.
- Serving Suggestions: These are delicious with mashed potatoes, and I love pairing them in a sheet pan combo with roasted veggies.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Chops: This recipe uses boneless pork chops about ¾-inch thick. Thicker chops will need extra bake time and a thermometer to ensure they’re cooked just right.
- Brine: If using fine table salt instead, reduce the amount so the brine doesn’t get too salty. Peppercorns give gentle pepper flavor without making the brine gritty. It can be replaced with ground pepper if needed.
- Rub: Dry mustard adds tang and a deeper roasted flavor. Swap with a small smear of Dijon for a slightly different crust.
- Variations: For variations, a pinch of cayenne adds a little heat, while dried thyme or rosemary gives a more herby, roasted flavor. If you prefer, you can skip the brine and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the rub, which is less juicy but still delicious.
The Importance of the Brine & the Rub
The Brine: A brine is a blend of salt, sugar, and water. This simple mixture helps break down tougher proteins and adds flavor. While brine is not required, I recommend it for the most tender and flavorful pork chops.
The Rub: This rub is a simple blend of brown sugar and spices. It adds flavor and helps the pork chops caramelize.
How to Bake Pork Chops
- Cool the brine then soak the pork chops.
- Pat the chops very dry and score.
- Coat with the rub and bake (full recipe below).
Leftovers That Stay Juicy
Keep leftover pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Reheat, covering with foil in a 325°F to 350°F oven with a splash of broth to keep them moist.
Perfect Sides For Baked Pork Chops
Did you enjoy this Baked Pork Chops Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops ¾-inch thick
For the Brine
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 cups ice
For the Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- To make the brine, in a small saucepan, combine the water, salt, brown sugar, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the ice to the brine and cool completely.
- In a large bowl or freezer bag, pour the cooled brine over the pork chops and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Remove pork chops from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel. If the pork chops have a fat cap on one side, make small cuts into the fat to help them cook evenly.
- To make the seasoning, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, mustard powder, and paprika. Apply the rub to both sides of the pork chops and massage it into the meat.
- Place the seasoned pork chops on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 16 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil, and broil the pork chops, 4 to 6 inches from the heat, for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F.
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and transfer them to a plate to rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the temperature to rise to 145°F.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Pork
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Holly. I’ve tried this recipe twice now! Right now I’m thoroughly enjoying my pork chops with my daughter. They came out perfect! Thanks for posting.
Mark
Yay Mark! So happy to hear that. You’re welcome!
This was very good. I haven’t made pork chops in years due to failure after failure. Getting the thicker chops seems to be the answer, my husband really really liked this!
Well you just made my day Diana! I’m SO happy to hear that!
Best pork chops ever. I brine for just 30 minutes and cook them in a gas stove. Makes a complete difference vs electric. Honestly better than any restaurant chop.
This pork chops recipe is to die for, soo easy, timings are everything, do not over cook❤️❤️
I made this last night and usually my husband makes pork chops because I tend to dry them out but I followed this recipe as is except I let them chill in the frig in a brine for 30 minutes and they were some of the best pork chops I ever ate in my life! I got mine extra thick from Costco so I had to bake in the oven for 5 or 6 minutes. Thanks!
Hi Holly, almost all brining recipes I looked up for pork say to rinse twice and then pat dry? I really want to make this, but would be so disappointed if they came out salty. Thanks for your help, Ally.
There is no other salt added in the recipe and we do not find them salty. If you prefer, you can rinse them before patting them dry. Enjoy Ally!
Thanks Holly! Okay I won’t rinse :) I’m just about to put them in the brine! I’ll let you know how they tur out. :)
No. I had high hopes for this recipe. Followed to the letter. Dry. Not particularly flavorful. Maybe that is the fate of pork chops.
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you, that’s definitely disappointing Shaun! If the pork was dry, it was definitely overcooked. Did you use a thermometer to check the temperature of the pork?
This was great!! Thank You
Low calorie but lacks texture and bland flavors. Suggestion: lightly oil chops, sear and then bake.
Sorry to hear that Debbie. You can try leaving the pork chops in the brine for the full 2 hours for a deeper flavor. Hopefully that helps!
Is parchment paper better to use than just on a cookie sheet like pan? I’ve read the comments and one used foil but I’d think that it would cook faster. Again people put them on the grill. Just wondering what would be best?
Hi Terri, we like using parchment paper for an easier clean-up and to keep the pork chops from sticking to the pan, but you could use either. Hope that helps!
This looks and sounds good,
Being on a low sodium diet one thing I have to do is check the sodium content of foods. I was excited to see there was only 66mg of sodium in this recipe could eat this three times a day and be well below the daily limit, but I am sure my body would tell me otherwise, other recipes using about 1/4 tsp of salt show 1200+ mg of sodium so I am guessing this is a calculation error or a type o.
Thank you
Hi Clint, we recommend using a nutrition app like MyFitnessPal or similar to calculate nutrition information. For our recipe, when calculating nutritional information, brine is not including as per the FDA which would alter the sodium content in this recipe. I hope that helps!
Pork chops looks yummy!
Just made this. It was simple, juicy and very very tasty!
This was fantastic and very easy. I only marinated for 30 min and these were much juicier and more tender than my test group (which I pan seared and baked while the others were marinating). I will use this cooking method again and again. Don’t skimp on the seasoning—more is more in this dish.
Thank you for sharing Angela! Love hearing that you enjoyed the chops so much!
The brining suggestion was brilliant, but the rub is WAY too sweet! That, of course, is a matter of taste. I would half the amount of brown sugar and double the paprika. I also added some black pepper. Second time round, with my changes, it was much better
When I went to the market they didn’t have any boneless pork chops but I bought country style ribs which are also boneless and about 1 inch thick. I followed the recipe with limited time so I only brined for about 1/2 hour and I added sliced garlic cloves to the brine. I also about doubled the rub and they were DELICIOUS! I got a from the whole family! We’ll be having these again!
Can I bribe pork chops over night?
Brining overnight can cause the meat to break down too much and become mushy. I would recommend not more than 4 hours.
To be honest these turned out to be the worst pork chops I’ve ever had. I brined them according to the recipe I did everything right and once they were baked they lost all their juice and sat in a soup mixture of liquid and were dry and tough. Very disappointed
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you, that’s definitely disappointing Darshell! Did you use a thermometer to check the temperature of the pork?
I’ve had trouble with thick cut pork chops, but these were wonderful. And easy. This will go into our regular rotation.
How long, at what temperature, should two thick boneless pork chops be in oven for? Thank You.
Hi Mark, it would depend on thickness but for ¾” chops bake 16 minutes. Broil the pork chops 2-4 minutes or until they reach 140°F. A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure the pork is not overcooked.
Did how/what you said, turned out great! Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it Mark!