If you’ve landed on this article, you might be wondering how long to bake pork chops at 350 degrees.
The answer is 35 minutes. While they’re not as popular as other types of meat, such as chicken or steak, pork chops have a lot of benefits in terms of health and flavor.
First and foremost, even though they’re red meat, they’re one of the leanest alternatives available, so they’re a lot healthier than consuming a thick, fatty steak for dinner.
Another benefit of pork chops is that they’re chock full of important nutrients our body needs, such as zinc, protein, and iron, all of which can help sustain healthy body weight and provide energy.
Best of all, pork chops are versatile, so they pair well with a variety of side dishes not limited to butternut squash, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, crunchy garden salads, and a warm, satisfying bowl of creamy soup.
As mentioned earlier, this dinner food doesn’t take long to cook, nor does it take a long time to prepare. Below, we answer commonly asked questions about baked pork chops, including how long to bake a pork chop in oven 350 and more.
Can You Bake Pork Chops at 350 Degrees?
As with any type of meat, the right temperature to bake pork chops will depend on your oven and how thick or big your pork chops are.
It will also depend on whether or not they still have bones and if you choose to bake them in aluminum foil. However, in most cases, many agree that baking them at 350 degrees is optimal for sealing in all the natural juices.
For smaller, boneless cuts of pork chops, it will take an average of 20-25 minutes to fully cook at 350 degrees. For larger, in-bone pork chops, it could take anywhere from 30-35 minutes.
A general rule of thumb is that the baking time for boned pork chops will be about five minutes longer than those that are boneless.
So next time you want to turn to Google to find out how long to bake bone-in pork chops at 350, you won’t have to, since now you know!
Do You Bake Pork Chops Covered or Uncovered?
It depends on your preferences. Just like chicken breasts, pork chops can dry out if they’re left in the oven for too long.
So, if you prefer a juicy pork chop tender, you’ll want to cover them with foil. The foil helps prevent moisture from escaping, keeping the pork chops juicer longer than if they were put into the oven uncovered.
However, if you choose to cover them, keep in mind that your cooking time will be longer. On average, it takes covered pork chops anywhere from 30-40 minutes to fully cook, depending on the size of them.
In many cases, people opt for covering them and uncovering them. As such, people will bake them in a preheated oven (covered) for about 30-35 minutes and then uncover them and bake them for another 30 minutes, along with their side vegetables.
This helps get the perfect amount of crispiness and juiciness, as it combines the best of both worlds.
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How to Cook Pork Chops in the Oven?
How Do You Cook Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out?
The easiest method is to cover them with aluminum foil. This helps trap all the moisture that would otherwise escape if the pork chops were left uncovered.
However, if you don’t have aluminum foil handy, another trick you can use is to sear the fatty parts of the pork chop first and then bake or cook them in a frying pan at a lower temperature.
Kitchen chefs can also brine their pork chops ahead of time. Brining is an easy method of making sure your meat doesn’t dry out.
For pork chops, place them in a brine solution (made up of water and salt) for up to 24 hours before cooking. This will give the chops an extra boost of moisture to hold onto before it goes into the oven.
How Long to Bake Pork Chops at 350 in the Oven?
As noted earlier, baked pork chops cooked at 350 degrees will take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes to cook, depending on their size and whether or not they’re bone-in or boneless.
Below, we have provided some helpful cooking time conversions based on chop thickness to make baking pork chops easier:
- ½ – 1 cm thick: 10-12 minutes
- 1 – 2 ½ cm thick: 20-22 minutes
But how long to bake pork chops at 375? On average, pork chops that are up to a centimeter thick will need to bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.
For anything thicker than one centimeter to two and a half centimeters, it’ll have to bake for 18-20 minutes. Generally speaking, the higher your oven’s temperature is, the less time it will take to fully cook something.
How Long Do You Cook Thick Pork Chops at 350?
Pork chops that are about 2 ½ inches thick will need to cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.
This cooking time will vary if thicker than what’s mentioned here. A good rule of thumb is to add on five minutes for every additional inch of thickness.
But what about thin pork chops? In this case, how long does it take to bake thin pork chops at 350? For thin slices of pork chops, around 1 centimeter thick or less, the baking time will only be about 10-12 minutes.
As with all types of raw meat, you want to make sure you’re cooking it until it reaches its optimal internal temperature.
For pork chops, this is about 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Getting your pork chop temp right is critical to getting the juiciest cut of meat you can.
How Long to Bake Pork Chops at 350 After Searing?
Searing is the process of cooking something at a very high temperature with the intent to burn or “scorch” it.
This cooking technique usually alters the flavor of the meat to make it taste more roasted. But, as we mentioned earlier, pork chops tend to dry out quickly, so what exactly should you do to prevent this if you’re using the sear method?
If you plan to sear, you should first opt for a cast-iron skillet, as this will heat up quickly and retain the heat, making searing possible.
You’ll want to sear the pork chops for about 3-4 minutes on either side before putting them in the oven. Once in the oven, the baking time will vary depending on the size of the pork chop, ranging between 15 and 40 minutes.
If you’re searing, one tip to keep in mind is that you should pat your pork chops dry beforehand. This will help them reach the desired level of browning.
How Long to Bake Pork Chops at 350 in Air Fryer?
If you recently purchased an air fryer and are looking for unique meals to make with it, look no further than delicious pork chop recipes.
The biggest benefit of using an air fryer is that it dramatically cuts down on cooking time. Furthermore, it helps reduce calories, offering people a healthier alternative to their favorite meals.
To bake pork chops in the air fryer, preheat it to 350 for approximately five to six minutes.
If you want to add spices to your pork chop, go ahead and rub it on both sides before adding them to the air fryer basket.
Make sure each pork chop has ample space to cook; if things are too crowded, it will make it difficult to cook them evenly on all sides. Cook them for about 10-15 minutes. Turn them over midway through cooking.
How Long to Bake Stuffed Pork Chops at 350?
If you’re interested in elevating tonight’s dinner, try stuffing your pork chops with cheese, spinach, jam, or mushrooms.
You can even stuff them with traditional stuffing, like the kind you’d use at Thanksgiving.
This brings a unique flavor to dinner, but you may be wondering how long you should bake them since they contain other ingredients.
After your oven has preheated to 350 degrees, you’ll want to bake them for 20-25 minutes to make sure they don’t get overcooked. If you’re stuffing your pork chop, you’ll want to make sure it is at least one inch thick.
How Long to Bake Breaded Pork Chops at 350?
If stuffing pork chops isn’t really your style, why not bread them?
Breaded pork chops are great because you get the juiciness of the pork with the crispy, crunchy layer of bread crumbs. On average, it will take breaded pork chops about 30 minutes to fully cook if baked in the oven at 350 degrees.
When it comes to preparing this dish, you can either use store-bought bread crumbs or make your own.
To make your breadcrumbs, spread your bread slices on a baking sheet. Bake until they’re hard (but not burnt), turning them over halfway, so they cook evenly. Once they’re hard, remove them from the oven, let cool, and put them into a food processor.
The longer you use the food processor, the finer the breadcrumbs will be. Feel free to add additional ingredients to your breadcrumb mix, such as rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper.
How Long to Bake Smothered Pork Chops?
If neither breadcrumbs nor stuffing your pork chops appeals to you, another delightful option is smothering them in your favorite sauce.
The most popular recipe for smothered pork chops involves an onion gravy, which is smothered onto the top of the pork chop, then baked for about 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
However, you can absolutely experiment with this basic recipe. Swap out onion gravy for your favorite tangy barbeque sauce or fruit jam to create a totally unique flavor!
Regardless of the kind of topping you use, you should always cover them before baking them in the oven. This will help prevent the sauce from drying up.
How Do You Know When Pork is Done Cooking?
It’s important to recognize when bone-in and boneless pork chops in the oven are done cooking.,The easiest method is to use an internal thermometer.
As mentioned above, the ideal internal temperature for pork chops is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only will this make it safe to consume, but it also provides the optimal amount of moisture. However, don’t fret if you don’t have an internal thermometer.
You can also use your finger to poke the pork chop to compare it to your head; it sounds weird, I know, but the easiest way to tell if pork is fully cooked (without a thermometer) is to touch the end of your nose, then your pork chop.
If they feel the same, then your pork chop is cooked medium. If your pork chop has the same firmness as your forehead, it’s well done. And, last but not least, if the temperature of your pork chop is the same as the pointy part of your chin, it’s medium-rare.
If the above method feels too weird for you (which, honestly, no one would blame you), then you can always gauge how well it’s cooked by the color of the juice inside. If the liquid runs clear or is light pink, then your pork chop is fully cooked.
Simple Time Pork Chops Recipe
After reading all of this, I’m sure you’re hungry for pork chops. Me too, honestly! The secret ingredient to making the most flavorful pork chops is a little bit of mayonnaise.
First, this adds a hint of flavor, but it also adds more moisture to the meat, meaning you’ll get a juicer to bite every time.
If you don’t have mayonnaise, you can always swap it out for either sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, as these all have similar consistencies.
If you’re unsure of the flavor, don’t worry: the flavor will cookout, so you’ll only be left with the moisture.
How Long to Bake Pork Chops at 350?
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