These tender baked pork chops have a great flavor and are very enjoyable!
Our family loves how quick and easy it is to make these Basic Baked Pork Chops with just a few spices. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and frozen vegetables for a perfect Sunday dinner or an easy meal that can be made any day of the week!
This post was created by a partnership with the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tender Baked Pork Chops
The secret to keeping baked pork chops tender and juicy is using a digital meat thermometer! Check the internal temperature about seven minutes into baking time by inserting the meat thermometer horizontally into the pork chop as shown in this video from the National Pork Board. The remaining cooking time should be estimated based on this temperature reading.
Ensure that the meat thermometer is inserted in the center of the chop and does not touch a bone. It doesn’t take long at all for chops to reach an internal temperature of 145ºF!
After learning to make the best pork chops on the grill – our Farmhouse Marinated Pork Chops, I was excited to try baking them in the oven.
I’m convinced that more people would enjoy baked pork chops if they tried this recipe and followed these cooking instructions! My husband said twice what an enjoyable meal this is and he’s not a man of many words, so anything worth repeating is serious!
Another way that we bake pork chops is in our Creamy Pork Chop Casserole with Swiss cheese, white wine and stuffing. There are so many delicious ways to enjoy pork chops!
Meet a Pork Chop Farmer
Aaron Holiday was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up with an interest in becoming a small animal veterinarian. He chose to attend Iowa State. While working on an undergrad degree Aaron got a job in research and then a job working in the production side of agriculture. His goal was to secure a full-time job in agriculture after graduation and the first opportunity he found was working as a supervisor at a packing plant.
Then an opportunity came up to work in live animal production and Aaron was excited about new experiences. Aaron works at Pillen Family Farms with farmers in Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa that raise nursery and finishing pigs.
Holiday’s responsibilities include daily farm visits with the farmer partners to ensure that animals are being raised following the procedures and protocols that Pillen Family Farms has put in place. His favorite part of the job is his interaction with pigs and being able to help ensure that the highest standards possible are met to provide high-quality protein.
Aaron shared his favorite Oven Baked Pork Chop recipe with us. He enjoys eating these chops with baked zucchini chips. My family enjoys eating them with mashed potatoes and a bag of frozen vegetables. Pork chops are so versatile the options are endless!
What Temp Should Pork Chops Be Cooked To?
Pork chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145º F. Always use a digital meat thermometer to find the internal temperature for pork chops.
Tips For Using a Meat Thermometer:
- Make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone
- Make sure the thermometer is surrounded by meat on all side so it’s not touching the pan or the air
- Digital thermometers work MUCH better than instant-read thermometers that are cheaper and may not give an accurate reading
- Pork chops cooked to 145º F are tender, juicy and easy to chew
- Pork chops cooked to 145º F may have a BLUSH of pink in the center
Do You Cover Pork Chops While Baking?
Nope. Pork chops do not need to be covered while baking. When a meat thermometer is used and the chops are only cooked to an internal temperature of 145º F baking time should be less than 20 minutes.
Sometimes covering a dish helps hold in moisture, but the real trick to holding moisture in pork chops is not to overcook them. In summary, just don’t bake them too long. I recall a lady shared that she bakes chops for an hour and doesn’t know why her family doesn’t like them. I wanted to respond, “Because if you cook meat to shoe leather it will taste like it and people don’t enjoy eating shoe leather!”
So be rational and don’t overcook the meat. Here in the 21st century, there are no worms or diseases or other crazy things in the meat. Follow basic food safety guidelines like washing your hands, storing meat in the refrigerator, etc and know that farmers like Aaron are working really hard to deliver safe meat to the grocery store. When you buy pork at the grocery store you are supporting families like Aaron’s, the families he works with and my family!
How Long Does it Take to Bake Bone-In Pork Chops at 350?
Typical bone-in pork chops take 10 – 15 minutes to bake in my convection oven at 350ºF. Baking time for pork chops will vary based on thickness, so it’s very important to use a digital thermometer. Ovens heat differently and altitude can also affect baking time.
This baking time is based on putting a room temperature pork chop (that has set on the counter for about 30 minutes to knock the chill off) in the oven. Placing a cold chop in the oven will take longer to bake and may not be as tender because the protein fibers react differently to a larger temperature swing.
I do not sear pork chops before baking. If chops are seared the baking time would decrease because the chops would start at a higher temperature and not take as long to reach an internal temperature of 145ºF.
What to Serve With Pork Chops:
- Traditional Cornbread Dressing
- Instant Pot Ranch Broccoli
- Ranch Glazed Carrots
- Sweet Potato Souffle
- Ultimate Sweet Potato Casserole
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
- Cowboy Baked Beans
How to Bake Bone-in Pork Chops in the Oven?
- Season chops and set on the counter for 30 minutes to knock off the chill
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Bake for 7 minutes, check the temperature with a digital meat thermometer and flip
- Bake for an additional 4 – 8 minutes until internal temperature reaches 145° F
- Remove from oven and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving
Best Pork Chop Recipes
- Farmhouse Marinated Pork Chops
- Easy Pork Chops with Brown Sugar, Garlic & Rosemary
- Farmhouse Pork Chop & Stuffing Casserole
- Easy Caramel Apple Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pork Chops with Sauerkraut, Apples and Bacon
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Printable Basic Oven Baked Pork Chops Recipe
- 4 bone-in pork chops
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon basil
Allow pork chops to come to room temperature while following all food safety guidelines.
Preheat oven to 350° F and mix spices together,
Arrange pork chops on a single layer and season both sides.
Bake for 7 minutes and flip once. Check temperature with a digital meat thermometer. Bake for an additional 4 – 8 minutes until internal temperature reaches 145° F. Take out of oven and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone
- Make sure the thermometer is surrounded by meat on all side so it’s not touching the pan or the air
- Digital thermometers work MUCH better than instant-read thermometers that are cheaper and may not give an accurate reading
- Pork chops cooked to 145º F are tender, juicy and easy to chew
- Pork chops cooked to 145º F may have a BLUSH of pink in the center
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Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 581mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg