How to tenderize bone in pork chops

In retrospect, there was an aftertaste that I just cannot forget.....too much baking soda totally destroys the chop flavor and I had to, unfortunately, dispose of the chops, although they were beautifully brown and tender.

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Colleen Sr.

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I got the promised results with this recipe. After they soaked overnight, I breaded them, browned them on the stovetop and then baked them at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. My pork chops have always been so dry but these were delicious. I'm so happy to have a recipe that I can feel confident using to produce tender pork chops. Thank you, Nana Lee, for adding this to Recipezaar.

To tenderize pork before cooking it, try breaking up the tough muscle by hitting it with a meat mallet evenly across the surface of the meat. Then, if you want your pork to be extra tender, you can marinate it in a tenderizing marinade made with acids, like citrus juices, vinegar, or wine. For easier tenderizing, use a commercial meat tenderizer by wetting the surface of the meat, and then sprinkling the tenderizer over the meat. For tips on preparing tender pork by baking, braising, or grilling, read on!

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Easy recipe for pork chops in milk marinade with lots of garlic and seared in the skillet. Served with vegetable rice.

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Milk brined or milk marinated pork chops – a super easy, cheap, and tasty recipe suitable for any season. And look at those golden chops, don’t they make your mouth water? For more pork chops recipes, check out these Baked Pork Chops and Potatoes or the Pork Chop Burger (with Mustard and Onions).

Table of contents

• Why and how to tenderize pork chops with milk?
  • How long to marinade the meat in milk?
• Tips for best results
• Recipe ingredients
• How to brine pork in milk?
• How to cook in a skillet?
• Recipe FAQ
• How to serve?
• More pork recipes

Why and how to tenderize pork chops with milk?

Milk is more effective in tenderizing meat than other marinades. The milk enzymes break the proteins, softening the fibers and making the meat more tender. And the milk-tenderized pork chops will remain juicier, the risk of them drying out during cooking reduces.

Other milk products suitable for tenderizing meat (not only pork but chicken or beef as well) are yogurt or buttermilk. However, they will make the meat tangier, while milk keeps it not only tender but also more genuine in taste.

How long to marinade the meat in milk?

For at least 2 hours and preferably overnight, so up to 24 hours. I keep it in the marinade overnight most of the time.

Tips for best results

Flavors:

• Flavor the milk marinade by adding spices or dried herbs. In this case, lots of garlic, it imparts the chops an amazing flavor.
• Alternative spices: sweet, hot or smoked paprika, ground cumin or/and coriander, spice mixtures used for pork, and so on.
• Alternative herbs: rosemary, savory, thyme.

Dish:

• Use a non-metallic container for marinating the meat, metal might react with the ingredients of the marinade, changing the flavor of the brine. Glass casserole dishes (like Pyrex, for instance) are great, they are large and flat, you can arrange the meat inside in one layer and cover it evenly with the milk brine.
• Always keep the marinating meat refrigerated. And covered.
• However, remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, so that the meat has time to reach room temperature.

Thickness:

• Adjust the cooking time according to the size (particularly thickness) of the chops. The best way to ensure that the meat is perfectly cooked is to use a meat thermometer (Amazon affiliate link).

Recipe ingredients

Pork chops:

• With the bone in, each weighing about 6-7 oz/ 175-200 g.

Marinade:

• Full-fat milk, about 3 cups/ 750 ml. Please use as much as required to submerge the meat pieces completely in the marinade.

Other ingredients:

• Garlic and sweet paprika powder for the brine.
• Flour for coating and oil for cooking the chops.

For the rice: long grain rice, onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, bell pepper, tomato paste, paprika powder, marjoram, stock, oil, fine sea salt, and black pepper. The rice is an optional side dish but it fits this pork chop recipe perfectly.

How to brine pork in milk?

• Salt the meat generously on both sides. Place in the marinating dish.
• Mix about 1 cup milk with the grated garlic cloves and distribute evenly all over the meat. Add the remaining milk, making sure that the chops are covered with the liquid.
• Cover the dish with its lid or with plastic foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking.

How to cook in a skillet?

• Shake the meat well to remove the marinade and pat dry with kitchen towels. The meat really has to be dry.
• Mix flour, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika powder. Use this mixture to season the chops, press lightly to make sure it coats the meat well.
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet. A non-stick pan would do the job as well. The bottom of the pan should be covered in a very thin layer of oil, about 2 tablespoons oil should be OK.
• Fry the chops on one side for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for further 2 minutes until golden.
• If the pork chops are thinner, reduce the cooking time. If they are thicker add a couple more minutes.
• Don’t overcook the meat, it can still be slightly pink in the middle.
• Let rest on a warm platter for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use boneless chops?

Yes. It is best to use the meat thermometer to check if they are done, as boneless pieces tend to dry out quicker than bone-in chops.

What is the safe internal temperature for pork?

145 degrees Fahrenheit/ 63 degrees Celsius according to USDS. At this temperature, the meat should be medium to medium rare and have a nice shade of pink.

How to reheat the rice?

Add a splash of broth or water, stir well and reheat, covered, on the stovetop, stirring regularly.

How to reheat pork chops?

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Place the chops in a baking dish, in a single layer but close together. Add 1 tablespoon of water per chop. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Reheat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

How to serve?

• Serve immediately after the short resting time.
• Make sure to pour the juices accumulated into the platter while the meat is resting over the meat on the serving plate, they are delicious!
• You can serve with the bonus rice recipe below or any kind of rice you like.
• Other suitable side dishes are potatoes in any form: mashed, oven-baked, sauteed, and so on.
• Or try some pan-fried or baked sweet potato slices.
• Add some vegetables like Brussels sprouts or cauliflower in winter or a fresh green salad with yogurt dressing or vinaigrette in summer.

More pork recipes

• Spicy Pork Roast
• Pistachio Crusted Tenderloin
• Katsu Sando
• Pork in Tomato Sauce
• Juicy Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

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Pork Chops in Milk Marinade

Easy recipe for pork chops in milk marinade with lots of garlic and seared in the skillet. Served with vegetable rice.

4.36 from 82 votes

Course: Meat Recipes

Cuisine: Gypsy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

• ▢

  large skillet or nonstick pan

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Ingredients 

Pork chops:

• ▢4 pork chops about 175-200 g/ 6-7 oz each
• ▢5 garlic cloves
• ▢3 cups full-fat milk 750 ml/ 25 fl.oz, Note 1
• ▢sweet paprika powder
• ▢1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

Milk marinade:

• Generously sprinkle the pork chops with salt. Place them in a shallow, glass casserole dish (like Pyrex, Note 2).

• Stir marinade: Grate the garlic and mix it with about one cup of milk.

• Marinade pork: Pour this milk carefully over the pork chops. Pour more milk until the pork chops are completely covered with milk. Cover the dish with plastic foil and place it in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

• Remove the dish from the refrigerator about one hour before cooking the meat.

Cook pork chops:

• Prepare chops for cooking: Take them out of the brine and dry them very well with kitchen paper. Coat them lightly with the flour, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika powder on both sides.

• Heat the oil in a skillet or another pan. You should have a thin oil film on the entire bottom of the skillet; two tablespoons were enough for my 12-inch skillet.

• Cook pork: Add the pork and cook for 3 minutes on one side until golden; turn and continue cooking for another 2 minutes until golden. You might add one minute or so if the chops are on the larger side.

• Check internal temperature; it should be 145°F/ 63 °C.

• Rest meat: Transfer pork chops to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for a few minutes.

• Serve: Place the meat on serving plates and pour some of the meat juices collected in the platter over the rice and the meat. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. Use enough milk to submerge the meat completely.
2. Don’t use a metallic dish for marinating the meat.

What is a good tenderizer for pork chops?

How do you tenderize a pork chop before cooking?

Does putting baking soda on pork chops make them tender?