Baked Pork Chops with Southwest Dried Rub

Pork chops in the oven is a great way to cook pork chops with minimum effort. Just like my Oven Baked Pork Chops, this pork chop recipe produces succulent, flavorful and mouthwatering pork chops every single time.

The Dried Rub

I like to call this simple dried rub “magical seasoning” as it adds lots of bold Southwestern flavors. The combination of chili powder and cumin mixed with the rest of the ingredients is for sure a winning combination of spices and seasonings. 

What Is The Best Pork Chop For Baking?

• It is best to use thick pork chops when cooking pork chops in the oven. Get a chop that is at least 1-inch thick.
• Thin pork chops are not a good choice for oven baking. They will dry up leaving you with a chewy chop.
• Although this recipe calls for boneless pork chops, you can use thick bone-in pork chops for baking. 

How To Make Baked Pork Chops with Dried Rub

• Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up.
• Mix the dried rub ingredients.
• Rub the pork chops on both sides with olive oil and season with the dry rub.
• Bake. Remove from the oven and let the pork chops rest for a few minutes then serve.

What Is The Secret For Juicy and Tender Baked Pork Chops

• Pork chops are lean and tend to dry up quickly. The secret for juicy, tender and melt in your mouth pork chops is simply not to over cook them.
• Baked pork chops are super easy to make but you must check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer – even before the baking time specified in the recipe is up. Why? Here are a few reasons:1. Not all pork chops are created equal! Some have more fat around the edges than others.
  2. Organic pork chops are usually leaner and cook faster than other pork chops sold at the market.
  3. Some thick pork chops sold at the market, are not really as thick as you may think. Unless you go out with a ruler on your pocket or purse, you are just guessing
  4. All ovens are different and most are not properly calibrated. Some ovens run hotter than others.

What is the Safe Temperature For Baked Pork Chops

The USDA’s safe temperature guideline for pork chops is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Pork Temperatures:
145 to 150 degrees F. for Medium-Rare
150 to 155 degrees F. for Medium
155 to 160 degrees F. for Medium-Well
160 degrees F. and up for Well-Done

Always use an instant read thermometer and check the temperate 5 minutes before you think it is done!

What Is CarryOver Cooking?

Carryover cooking means that the heat continues to move (rise) after removing the meat from the heat source. When baking these pork chops, the temperature of the surface of the chop will be higher than the interior. When the cooking is done, you should always rest the meat before serving it. During this resting period, the internal temperature of the pork chop will increase by about 5 to 10 degrees due to carry over cooking.

Following this guidelines, if you want to serve your pork chops at “medium” temperature, you should remove the pork chops from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140 to 145 degrees. After the resting period, the pork chops should reach 150 to 155 degrees.

You Can Serve These Pork Chops With:

• Mexican Green Chile Rice Casserole
• Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
• Crispy Roasted Greek Potatoes

Baked Pork Chops with Dried Rub

5 from 4 reviews

Kathy McDaniel

These Baked Pork Chops are tender, juicy and full of flavor. Made with a simple dried rub, these oven baked pork chops are the perfect easy dish to make any day of the week!

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Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Total 35 minutes mins

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Dry Rub

• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

The Pork

• ▢ 4 boneless pork chops (at least 1-inch thick)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
3. Rub the pork chops on both sides with olive oil and season them with the dry rub.
4. Place the pork chops onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pork have reached an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees. *See notes
5. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

Notes

• The USDA’s safe temperature guideline for pork chops is 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
• I remove the pork chops from the oven when they reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees and let them rest for 5 minutes. During this resting period the temperature should rise up to 145 degrees. 
• I season the pork chops on the baking sheet for easy cleanup,
• Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 295 kcal, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Protein: 29 g, Fat: 16 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 89 mg, Sodium: 361 mg, Potassium: 499 mg, Sugar: 5 g, Vitamin A: 225 IU, Calcium: 14 mg, Iron: 0.8 mg

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