
Once the grill is hot, cooking pork chops is quick - each side usually takes only 4–6 minutes for the internal temperature to reach 145☏ (63☌). Then smoke it at 225–250☏ (107–121☌)for 45 minutes to an hour and the internal temperature is at least 145☏ (63☌) ( 14). Before smoking your pork chop, you’ll want to grill-mark each chop. Preheat the oven to 350☏ (176☌) and bake or roast your pork chop until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness, at least 145☏ ( 13, 14).

Your pork chop can be cooked as is, or you could flour, bread, or batter it, which would further protect it from drying out but would add calories ( 12). This helps keep the pork from overcooking and drying out. This high heat, quick cooking method yields the tastiest pork if your first cut the chop into small pieces or thin strips.

Here are some of the most common methods of cooking pork chops, according to The National Pork Board’s website ( 11): Pork chops are incredibly versatile - both in terms of how you cook them (think: grilling, baking, roasting, etc.) and what you cook them with (seasoned, with a fruit sauce or salsa, etc.). It also delivers selenium, zinc, and easily-absorbed iron, which are essential nutrients. Pork offers a complete source of high quality protein, which may help you feel full. The kind of iron that’s in animal products, called heme iron, is better absorbed by your body ( 8).
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There are two types of iron - one that’s in plants and one that’s in animal products. It’s also needed to shuttle oxygen throughout the body. Iron plays a key role in cell function, hormone synthesis, muscle metabolism, and more.
#BAKED BONELESS PORK LOIN CHOPS SKIN#
Zinc plays a key role in immune function and skin integrity ( 7). In fact, pork chops are one of the richer food sources of zinc. Consuming animal proteins is a great way to get zinc into your diet because they’re a fairly concentrated source. The research is limited, but having adequate levels of selenium is associated with lower rates of some types of cancer, heart disease, thyroid disease, and age-related cognitive decline ( 2). This increases the amount of energy the body burns and supports better blood sugar control ( 6). In a recent review, researchers suggest that pork’s weight and fat loss benefits happen because pork boosts fullness. Plus, newer research shows that people who add pork specifically to their diet - and especially to a weight loss diet - successfully lose weight and body fat. Supports weight loss and body fat lossīecause protein is so filling, people who add higher amounts of protein to their diet are more successful at cutting back on calories and ultimately losing weight ( 5).

It’s a nutrient that gives you the staying power you need between meals ( 5). A large one delivers more than a third of your daily protein needs.Īnother reason that protein is so valuable is because it’s very filling - more so than the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fat). Pork chops are also a very rich source of protein. The health benefits of pork chops A complete source of high quality proteinĪmino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein is essential for so many bodily functions, from building muscle to assisting in the production of hormones that keep our mood up.Įach of us needs a group of so-called essential amino acids because they’re something our bodies can’t make on their own - and pork chops contain all of them.
