These Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops only take 5 minute prep time, 20 minute in the oven and then straight to your dinner table! They couldn’t get any easier! So tender and delicious, they simply melt in your mouth!
Although I’m not much of a pork fan, I must say that I love a perfectly cooked, perfectly tender pork chop. These pork chops have been one of my popular recipes here on the blog and that’s because of all this delicious flavor swirling around here.
Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops
- Handful of Ingredients
- 5 Minute Prep Time
- Really Easy To Make
- All Made In One Dish
I’m all about recipes that require very little prep time because we’re all super busy, I mean who’s got the time to slave in the kitchen for hours. These pork chops are baked in the oven with a delicious savory marinade with a touch of sweet from the balsamic vinegar. It really works!
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Chops – as I said above either bone-on or boneless chops will work for this recipe. I used thicker pork chops, about 1 inch in thickness. Keep in mind that the thicker the pork chop the longer it will take to cook.
- Olive oil – use a good extra-virgin olive oil for that extra flavor.
- Wholegrain mustard – I prefer using Dijon Wholegrain Mustard.
- Balsamic vinegar – This is where the sweet factor comes into play.
- Herbs – A tablespoon of fresh rosemary or a tsp of the dried one. Sometimes, I also love to garnish with a little bit of fresh parsley, totally optional.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
How To Make Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops
- Make the marinade: Whisk the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, rosemary, salt, pepper in a bowl until it begins to emulsify.
- Marinate the chops: Place the pork chops in a baking dish then pour the marinade over the chops and rub it all over them evenly, so they’re completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight. You could prepare these the night before and bake them when you come home from work the next day.
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bake: Remove plastic wrap from the baking dish and bake them for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 145°F.
FAQs and Expert Tips
FAQs
The standard for fully cooked and safe pork is now 145°F. This is wonderful because at the old standard of 170F, pork ended up being incredibly dry and chewy. I highly suggest getting yourself an instant read thermometer! You can use it with any type of meat, breads, oil, etc. It comes in handy almost every day for me. If you prefer cooking pork more than 145°F, that is totally okay. It’s your dinner after all!
Either will work in this recipe, the only thing to keep in mind is that the cooking will vary, which is why it’s a good idea to use the instant read thermometer to tell when the pork is cooked.
Based on my research, I can honestly say that marinating really only adds flavor to the outside of the meat. It doesn’t really penetrate the meat to add more flavor, apparently that’s more of a myth than anything. Having said that, I still like to marinate these pork chops for about an hour, plus this is great if you want to prep them the night before and when you come home from work the next day, all you need to do is pop them in the oven and you’ve got dinner.
Tips
- All ovens are different, so you should start checking on your pork chops after 15 minutes to make sure they don’t get over done.
- The standard for fully cooked and safe pork is now 145°F, so use a meat thermometer as this is the only way to accurately check for when the pork chops are cooked through.
- Let the pork chops rest after baking for at least 3 minutes to let the juices retreat back into the meat. This will ensure maximum flavor and juicy pork chops.
How Long To Bake Pork Chops
As I mentioned this really depends on the thickness of the chops, so best way to tell when they’re done, is to use a meat thermometer. The pork chops should be baked to an internal temperature of 145°F. However, here’s a general guideline.
| Oven Temp | Bone-In Pork Chops | Boneless Pork Chops |
|---|---|---|
| 350°F / 175°C | 25-30 min | 20-22 min |
| 375°F / 190°C | 23-25 min | 18-20 min |
| 400°F / 205°C | 20-22 min | 15-18 min |
| 425°F / 220°C | 18-20 min | 15-18 min |
Leftovers
Fridge
Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Make sure the pork chops have cooled down before storing them. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag up to 2-3 months.
Reheating
To reheat, you can either heat your pork chops on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 375°F. Keep in mind that reheating cooked pork will cause it to dry out, so it is best served fresh.
How To Serve
My favorite way to serve them is over creamy mashed potatoes or along side some potato salad. You can also try:
- Polenta
- White Beans with Bacon and Herbs
- Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Green Beans
- Macaroni Salad
More Great To Try
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Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 5 pork chops mine were 1 inch thick, bone-in pork chops can be used as well
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard I used Dijon Wholegrain Mustard
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary coarsely chopped, or 1 tsp dry
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Whisk the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, rosemary, salt, pepper in a bowl until it begins to emulsify.
- Marinate the chops: Place the pork chops in a baking dish then pour the marinade over the chops and rub it all over them evenly, so they're completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight. You could prepare these the night before and bake them when you come home from work the next day.
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bake: Remove plastic wrap from the baking dish and bake them for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 145°F.
Recipe Notes
- All ovens are different, so you should start checking on your pork chops after 15 minutes to make sure they don’t get over done.
- The standard for fully cooked and safe pork is now 145°F, so use a meat thermometer as this is the only way to accurately check for when the pork chops are cooked through.
- Let the pork chops rest after baking for at least 3 minutes to let the juices retreat back into the meat. This will ensure maximum flavor and juicy pork chops.
- Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Make sure the pork chops have cooled down before storing them. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer. To reheat, you can either heat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 375°F. Keep in mind that reheating cooked pork will cause it to dry out and it is best served fresh.
I only marinated for about 30 minutes due to time pressure, but the result was well received. I checked the pork chops at 15 minutes and again at 18, when they were almost done — I had fairly thin cuts from the grocery store. Next time I make this recipe, I will try to give it the overnight marinating treatment!
Can you pan sear the chips before game finishing in the oven? I have oven safe tri clad.
I’m assuming you mean the chops, and the answer is yeah, sure.