Pork Chops?

Rascal

I most often do them (boneless, center cut) on the stove-top but despite my best efforts ( including brining) they always are firm to the bite and lacking in flavor.  In today's world of greedy farmers, is it asking too much to expect anything better from supermarket pork?  And yes, I'm careful to cook them so that there's a tad of pink in the center (140ish).  Anyone out there with better results?  TIA~~

hoosier_egger

Bone in French cut and usually brine 

Hans61

Chops are just as versatile as chicken breasts, I'd say mix it up and see what you like. Marinate, seasonings, smoke (fruit woods) 

ive heard good things about duroc pork 

Carolina Q

I often do them on the stove top too. Always juicy, tender and flavorful. Better on a grill, but sometimes laziness prevails. They are still good on the stove, just not AS good. Garden variety boneless center cut.

I have never brined anything. Cast iron skillet, a little oil, some variety of home brew seasoning, medium high heat so they don't cook too fast. Pull 'em at about 145°.

minniemoh

I've had good ones and bad ones from the grocery store. I like to buy mine thick. The only thing I can say, is what you're already doing - keep em close to 140 for a finish temp. Sometimes I can find them with some marbling and those are the best ones. Brining sometimes helps but there's no substitute for marbling. If you egg them, raised direct seems to work pretty good for me. If you can't do raised direct, keep the cook temp down a little more than you would for a steak - somewhere around 350-375 is what I have done. It seems to "tighten" up a little less at those temps for me.

For what it's worth, I live in the Midwest and we have plentiful pork here and most of it is pretty good. Where do you live?

Hans61

I always get porterhouse style chops - really dislike the thin boneless ones

BilZol

Brine, rinse, SPG, sear, finish in oven. 
Put pan in 400 degree oven to preheat. Put on med-hi burner, put chops in pan 3-4 min until good color, flip and immediately put in oven 6-8 minutes. 
Use thick chops. Bone in or fillet. Bone in better. 
Rub light coat of olive oil on before putting in pan. 

BilZol

Edited original comment b

Botch

The pork industry is breeding a bit of fat back into their animals, after the Fat Alarms of the (???) 1970's?  Please don't blame the "greedy farmers" for this, they were responding to public demand (as they are now).
 
And, hmmm, how come we all wrap our fatty sausage loaves with bacon (which don't need it), but not our chops?  Already bought a cow thing for dinner tomorrow, but next weekend.... 

GrateEggspectations

I had never previously been a fan of pork chops, but I have recently been buying cheap thick-cut boneless (from grocery store) and been brining and have absolutely loved the results.

Not tooting my own horn here (because I don't necessarily believe it), but recently, I have had a few dinner guests tell me independently that the chops were the best they had ever had.

I am a convert. 

Luvnlife

GrateEggspectations said:

I had never previously been a fan of pork chops, but I have recently been buying cheap thick-cut boneless (from grocery store) and been brining and have absolutely loved the results.

Not tooting my own horn here (because I don't necessarily believe it), but recently, I have had a few dinner guests tell me independently that the chops were the best they had ever had.

I am a convert. 

@GrateEggspectations Sounds like it's worth a try based on that feedback! I'm curious how you brine them? Would like to try and compare it, if you don't mind the details as I've never done that before. 

GrateEggspectations

Luvnlife said:

GrateEggspectations said:

I had never previously been a fan of pork chops, but I have recently been buying cheap thick-cut boneless (from grocery store) and been brining and have absolutely loved the results.

Not tooting my own horn here (because I don't necessarily believe it), but recently, I have had a few dinner guests tell me independently that the chops were the best they had ever had.

I am a convert. 

@GrateEggspectations Sounds like it's worth a try based on that feedback! I'm curious how you brine them? Would like to try and compare it, if you don't mind the details as I've never done that before. 

My wife was not a fan of chops either, but she now loves them. Greatest part is that chops are dirt cheap relative to other meats. The two comments I had about them being the "best chops" came while my chop costs were about $1.25 per person (and I'm in Canada, where costs are generally higher!),

Check out this thread in which @The Cen-Tex Smoker gives a brine recipe. I usually flavour heavily with paprika, garlic, onion, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, etc. Make sure to rinse well, pat dry and allow some additional dry time in the fridge before searing!

And obviously, don't overlook (which a lot of people do with pork, making it dry)!!

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1155797/pork-chop-brine

Luvnlife

Thanks @GrateEggspectations that's great. I'll give that a try soon and appreciate the info and link. 

Mattman3969

I second @GrateEggspectations on Cen-Tex chops.  This recipe with make you reavaluate the chop.  

tarheelmatt

Sous vide then finish in a CI pan with butter bath. 

Rascal

Thanks for all of your comments!  Lots to think on!!~~

onedbguru

I cook them two ways.  1-1/4", on the Egg at around 500 with simple S&P (fresh ground pepper).   or sear in a cast-iron pan on the stove top,  then put in the oven for 12-14 minutes at 350*.   Again simple S&P only. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

greedy farmers? that has to be a first for me. 

Little Steven

I think when the fat restrictions came into effect pork didn't taste like pork no mo.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Little Steven said:

I think when the fat restrictions came into effect pork didn't taste like pork no mo.

Read a great article about that not too long ago. The Pork Council was trying to remake the image of Pork in the Fat Crazy 80's so they rebranded it "The Other White Meat" to compete with boneless, skinless, flavorless chicken breast down here in the gool ol US of A. They started breeding all the fat out, and therefore the flavor and we have been stuck with crap commercial pork ever since. 

Little Steven

My son's girlfriend's father has a hobby farm. He gave me some chops and a shoulder roast. Amazing the flavour difference.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Little Steven said:

My son's girlfriend's father has a hobby farm. He gave me some chops and a shoulder roast. Amazing the flavour difference.

yeah- as you know, we are growing our own these days too. That comes with it's own issues but it's a world of difference in quality. Our fancy grocer carries organic berkie for roughly $6.99-$9.99 (depending on the cut) per lb and it's miles better than most commercial stuff. It's my happy medium between being a farmer and buying commercial crap.

Rascal

I'm sure it costs a lot less to feed a hog that will render meat like shoe leather, rather than marbled, succulent cuts.  As Emeril always said, "Pork Fat Rules!!" 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Rascal said:

I'm sure it costs a lot less to feed a hog that will render meat like shoe leather, rather than marbled, succulent cuts.  As Emeril always said, "Pork Fat Rules!!" 

not really- they bred all the fat out to meet the diet fad of the time. That's what people were demanding so they sadly made it for them.

 I'm talking about commercial producers though. True farmers really have nothing to do with pork you find in a grocery store. 

Little Steven

And now all that horrible pork fat has been proven to be the healthiest of the fats....go figure