I have no idea of the amount of pork chop dinners I’ve made for my family, but if I had to guess, it’s somewhere between 50 and 75. Though the sides change, the way I prepared them, up until recently has been pretty much the same. Thin-cut, bone-in, garlic salt and pepper over the stove with a little bit of oil in the pan. Though over the years, here and there, I’ve tried other ways – in the oven (flavorless), in a crockpot (fall apart unrecognizably), on the grill (undercooked in some spots and overcooked and tough in others), the former remained my tried-and true method. I find cooking not so much as a necessary chore, but a way to be creative and inspired. I truly enjoy creating something that others, other than myself will enjoy and I loved the idea of feeding my children (though they’re not “children” anymore) and trying new recipes. So, the fact that I couldn’t do a thick juicy pork chop was kind of a bummer.

One day, I was casually browsing through my YouTube subscriptions when I came across a video from Downshiftology about pork chops. I really enjoy Lisa Bryan’s laidback style and Downshiftology is one of just a few food channels I follow on YouTube. The video is called “The Easiest Baked Pork Chops in 25 Minutes (Simple Dinner Recipe)”. Could it be the answer to my humdrum pork chops? I was very intrigued by the rub, which in the past has proven to me to be a great rub for pork roasts. I had never thought to put it on pork chops though. This recipe really worked for me, and the best part was the method of cooking the at least one-inch-thick pork chop. Easy and quick and the seasoning could be anything you want it to be actually. So here is a rundown of the recipe in my own words and with my own experiences and notes. I did not create this recipe myself and it is NOT the word for word recipe she has on her social media. But I find it extremely helpful in getting thick pork chops to come out tender.

• 4 pork chops. I prefer bone in
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil but I think any oil can be used
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar. I used brown
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 /2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt. I still had at add some sea salt at the end as I didn’t taste any salt.
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Make sure to really dry the chops as best as possible before you brush the oil over them and season them. This is very important. Having the rub sit on the chops for at least a half hour or an hour, if possible, will help with the flavor. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. I suggest you take them out after 12 minutes and check with a thermometer to make sure they are or are very close to 145 degrees. This way you can turn your broiler on to LOW and let them broil for about 4 to 5 minutes check for doneness again. Don’t go leave your kitchen because you don’t want to them to overcook in the broiler. Check them often because you don’t want them to dry out. The broiler step isn’t part of the recipe but it’s a good way to add flavor by making the edges of your chops crispy and caramelized and it makes all the difference. Serve with any sides you like.

I really love this recipe and dinner comes together pretty quickly.