Do you suffer the old internal temperature anxiety around pork chops? When is pork really done? Is it safe? The other white meat should really be the pale pink meat because once it goes white, it’s too late for anything but lots of gravy. The pork guys say 160°F (and that’s a lot lower than they used to say). The restaurant guys say pull pork out of the heat at 135°F. We tend to go with 140°F, and it seems to work. To tame the chewy chops, you should brine first. Then be bold enough to stay in the pink. Once out of the brine, the chops must be patted dry or you won’t get any crust. Wet chops look steamed. For the restaurant hot salamander sear, give lean pork chops a little oil massage to encourage browning under a hot broiler.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
BRINE the chops for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Step 2
DRAIN the chops, discarding the brine. Rinse and pat dry.
Step 3
HEAT the broiler. Place the chops on a baking sheet or broiler pan. Coat both sides of the meat lightly with oil. Sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the meat, using 1 teaspoon per chop.
Step 4
BROIL the chops about 4 inches from the heat source for 8 to 10 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be 140°F to 150°F when you remove them from the oven. The temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees while the chops rest before serving.
