Baked Pork Chops Recipe - Country Recipe Book (2024)

This baked pork chops recipe was a favorite of grandma’s friend Louise. Louise was known for two things… never driving above 29mph in her car, and for making the best damn baked pork chops. She’d come over and they’d spend time bickering about things that old people bicker about,all the while the house would begin to smell wonderful as she made this delicious recipe.

This recipe has been very popular and had many 5 star ratings. It is actually a very easy recipe that will be popular with the whole family.

How to Make Baked Pork Chops – Country Style!

There’s just a few simple ingredients you’ll need for this recipe and chances are most they’re already in the pantry. Salt, pepper, brown sugar and good quality ketchup. The only things you’ll need to buy are some of your favorite pork chops and an onion. The onion was actually my favorite part. They’d get nice and soft on top of the pork chops with that delicious brown sugar cooked right in. My goodness this combination of flavors brings me back to my childhood every time I make it.

Sauce Thickness for Baked Pork Chops

We should also mention that the sauce becomes thin and watery. This makes the pork chops come out very tender and juicy as they cook in the liquid. When you take them out of the tray to serve just allow them to drip off any excess liquid.

Our readers have also commented that cheaper ketchup sauce tends to be more watery. So it’s important to use a good quality ketchup or bbq ketchup is used. Based on this feedback we have adjusted the recipe to no longer include water.

Side Dishes that Will Suit Baked Pork Chops

A lot of our readers have commented that they have served mashed potatoes or tots as a side dish. This is perfect for this recipe as there is some excess liquid after the pork chops are baked. The excess liquid has also been used to make a gravy. Let us know what side dish you made for this recipe in the comments below.

Try out these amazing recipes too:
• Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe
• Slow Roasted Crockpot Pork Chops

Baked Pork Chops FAQs and Guidelines

This is a very popular recipe which has led to a lot of questions from our readers. We hope to collate some of the more common questions and answers below.

Will Boneless Pork Chops Work?

You can use any pork chops you like but we always used the bone-in chops that were about an inch thick. The bone-in pork chops always seem to have a bit more flavor, but boneless chops work well too. For some extra flavor you could pierce the chops with a fork and let the sauce marinade a bit before cooking (thanks Anne Doerksen for the tip!).

Will These Taste As Good As BBQ Pork Chops?

These baked pork chops come out with a completely different flavour to BBQ pork chops. As they are cooked in sauce, the oven baked chops will come out juicy, tender and delicious! The overall flavor is sweet and juicy thanks to the brown sugar. If you want that smokey BBQ flavour then cook these up on a BBQ.

Will These Chops Come Out Watery?

Depending on the ketchup brand used, the pork chops can come out quite watery. This leads to very tender, juicy chops. Often pork can be dry and you will find this is not the case if you follow this easy baked pork recipe. To reduce the amount of water ensure you use good quality ketchup and leave the tray uncovered more than the recommended amount in the recipe. Some of our very clever readers have suggested using excess juices as a base for a gravy sauce.

FAQs about Baked Pork Chops Recipe

What seasoning to use for pork chops?

You can add salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper, sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, and garlic for your pork chops. These flavors will make this dish taste grand. Remember not to use balsamic vinegar and stick to white vinegar instead.

For a tangy and sweet hint, you may also add ketchup along with sugar. This produces a much-thickened sauce for the chops.

What temperature should I cook pork chop to?

If you’re using a standard oven, bake the chops to 220C or 430F. However, if you’re using a convection oven, 200C or 390 F is the perfect temperature.

How to serve Southern smothered pork chops recipe?

You can toss in marble potatoes on the baking pan. Sprinkle the potatoes with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then cook it with the chops. The potatoes will appear quite crispy on top. The bottom part will absorb all the sauce and the glaze from the baked pork chop.

Serve the pork chops with steamed broccoli, asparagus, or green beans. You can also whip up a tangy salad using balsamic vinegar or Caesar salad dressing for the side dish.

Alternatively, a dollop of mashed potato with herbs or a serving of rice makes up for a more hearty meal.

How do you know when pork chops are done?

The internal temperature of the baked pork chops should be 145F or 63C. Make sure not to overcook as the chops can turn hard and gummy.