Oven Baked Pork Chops

Let me start by saying these are not my mother's pork chops. If you grew up in the sixty's every mother made pork chops by browning them in a skillet and pouring a can of mushroom soup over them and cooking them until the meat fell off the bone. This does not mean that they were tender, moist and juicy. It usually meant that there was some chewy meat in the mushroom sauce.


These pork chops are everything chops in the sixty's weren't; flavorful, moist and juicy. As with most recipes this one morphed from another. The source was Cook's Illustrated, The American Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. 

I made these on back to school night when the younger Mimis would be dining without us. I baked them just before Mr. Mimi and I left for school, the kids ate and left the chops in a warm oven, they were still perfect when we returned. In addition, they make incredible pork chop sandwiches if you happen to have any left over.

Oven Baked Pork Chops

6 boneless rib pork chops ¾ to 1 inch thick, brined
¾ cup Italian bread crumbs (Progresso)
¾ cup plain bread crumbs
6 TBS mayonnaise

Brine the pork chops.
Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix together the bread crumbs and 3 tablespoon mayonnaise.
Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Coat each pork chop with about ½ tablespoon mayonnaise then coat thoroughly with crumb mixture, pressing to make sure it adheres, place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake chops until the coating is golden brown and the center of the chops registers 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 16 to 22 minutes, remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

Brine:
1 ½ qt water
3 TBs salt
3 TBS sugar

Mix all together, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Place pork chops to a large zip lock bag; pour brine to completely cover meat refrigerate one hour.