Lemon Pepper Pork Chops

Ingredient Notes

Pork chops: Go for chops that are at least 1inch/2.5cm thick. This will help you achieve a juicy cooked chop. You can use thicker or thinner chops, but the cooking time will vary. Ideally, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the pork is at 140ºF/60ºC when you remove it from the oven. You can also use boneless pork chops as well but they will need 5-6 minutes cooking time in the oven.
Lemon Pepper Seasoning: I use a homemade blend. (Recipe here) but you can use a store bought blend that you love instead. Check the ingredient list, as we are using the lemon pepper seasoning as a dry brine, you want salt in the seasoning. If yours is salt free then you'll need to add salt to the blend.
Lemon: Use a fresh lemon as you really want the zest of the lemon. Then serve the lemon in slices or wedges for people to add to their pork if they wish.
Salt: You will only need salt in this recipe, if your lemon pepper seasoning is unsalted.

Tips for a perfectly cooked pork chop:

• The thicker the chop, the easier it will be to cook and keep tender and juicy.
• Give your chops a quick brine; I use dry brine for this recipe. (more details on that below)
• Preheat your oven (375ºF/190ºC) for 20 minutes before you cook (you could use this time to brine your chops) 
• If your skillet is oven-proof, you can let it preheat in the oven. If not, then place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for at least 5 minutes to ensure it is evenly heated and holding the heat.
• Turn the heat to medium-high heat before you add the chops.  
• Pat the chops dry before cooking.
• Sear the chops for 2 minutes on one side without moving. 
• Flip the chops then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 7-9 minutes until the internal temperature is 140ºF/60ºC. 
• Remove the chops from the oven and transfer them to a warmed plate. Cover the chops and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. 

How to brine pork chops

A brine is a salt water solution that permeates the meat. As the salty liquid travels into the meat, it seasons the inside and increases the moisture levels within your pork chop. So when you come to cook your pork, even though you will lose the same amount of moisture as a standard pork chop, your brined pork chops will still be moist and juicy due to the added liquid from the brine.

However, we want to add lemon pepper to our pork, and lemon pepper seasoning has salt in it. So we could end up with overly salty meat.

The answer is to dry brine the pork chops! 

What is dry brine?

Dry brining involves rubbing salt (and seasonings) onto the chops and then letting them rest for a bit before cooking. The salt draws out the meat juices; these juices dissolve the salt and create a brine-like liquid that is reabsorbed back into the meat, taking the salt back in with it.

For this lemon pepper pork recipe, we can use the lemon pepper seasoning as a dry brine. Of course, this is assuming your brand has salt in it.

To dry brine the chops with lemon pepper seasoning, pat them dry, rub them generously with the seasoning blend, and set them aside at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Can pork chops be pink?

The safe cooking temperature for pork is 145ºF/63ºC. (This was reduced from 160ºF/71ºC in 2011) 

Your pork will be tender and juicy at this temperature and may have some pink left in it. 

The pink color isn't entirely down to the cooking temperature. Different grades of pork will have a different color when cooked. For example, dry-aged pork tends to be less pink than a softer cut. And brined pork will be pinker when cooked than unbrined pork. 

The recipe states to cook the pork chops to 140ºF/60ºC and rest for 5 minutes. While resting, the internal temperature of the pork will continue to rise and will be over 145ºF/63ºC when you come to eat.

How to reheat lemon pepper pork chops

Reheating pork can be tricky! It so often dries out. I have found the best way to reheat them is in a low oven with a bit of liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC.

Place your pork chops in a shallow baking or casserole dish (try not to use a metal one as it heats up more quickly and can dry the bottom of your chop out, glass or ceramic dish is best)

Drizzle each pork chop with around 2 tablespoons of broth and then cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil. 

Heat the chops in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes until warmed through.

The pork chops won't have the crispy crust they had when first cooked, but they will be juicy.

Serving Suggestions

What to eat with Lemon Pepper Pork Chops

These lemon pepper pork chops are super versatile. It will work with potatoes, pasta or just a salad and bread. Try out some of these sides to turn your pork chops into a full meal.

• British Mashed Potatoes 
• Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Mash with Lemon and Sage
• Slow Roasted Greek Lemon Potatoes
• Crispy Garlic Butter Potatoes
• Easy Skillet Garlic Green Beans
• Buttered Vegetables
• A Simple Salad

What to drink with Lemon Pepper Pork Chops

Unlike many lemon dishes, the lemon in this dish isn't super acidic. But it would be well balanced by a buttery Chardonnay or a dry or off-dry Reisling.

For those looking for red wine, try something like a Merlot or a Sangiovese.

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