Pork chops, centre cut is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store them, what to substitute, and 9 recipes to get you started.

What is pork chops, centre cut?

Centre cut pork chops come from the middle of the loin, the prime stretch that runs along the back. They are the leanest of the loin chops, with a large eye of pale, tender meat and very little fat or connective tissue.

You will see two styles. A bone-in centre cut has a length of rib or backbone attached; a boneless one is pure loin.

Both are quick-cooking and mild, which is the appeal and also the hazard. For the broad how-to that covers all loin chops, see pork loin chops; this page is about the leanest of them and how to keep it from drying out.

How to Cook Centre Cut Pork Chops

Lean means fast and watchful. Sear a chop hard for color, then cook it just to 145°F (63°C) internal and rest it three to five minutes, when it will be faintly pink and still juicy.

The old habit of cooking pork to gray, 160°F-plus, is what gave chops their dry reputation. The safe temperature dropped years ago, and a centre cut suffers most from the outdated rule because it has the least fat to hide behind.

A fast, crisp crumb coating seals in moisture, the trick behind two of the most-cooked chops on this site, Quick Crispy Pork Chops and Double Crunchy Baked Pork Chops.

Because the meat is so mild, it also loves a sweet-tart partner cooked alongside, as in Grilled Pork Chops with Cinnamon-Apple Relish.

Pairing and the One Real Mistake

The mild, lean meat is a blank slate, so build flavor around it: apple, mustard, sage, garlic, brown sugar, and a splash of cider or wine for a quick pan sauce all suit it.

The one mistake that matters is overcooking. There is almost no fat to mask extra minutes, so a centre cut chop pushed past 150°F (66°C) turns chalky fast. A thermometer is the whole solution. Pull it on time and rest it, and even this lean cut stays tender.

Substitutes

Any loin chop is a close swap; a rib chop has a touch more fat and forgives a little more on the heat, while a boneless loin chop is the same lean meat without the bone. Pork tenderloin, sliced into medallions, is leaner still but cooks the same quick way.

When you want richer, more forgiving meat, reach for a shoulder chop instead, though it needs braising rather than a quick sear. For a non-pork option, a thick chicken breast behaves similarly, lean and easy to overcook.

Buying and Storing Centre Cut Pork Chops

Look for chops at least three quarters of an inch (2 cm) thick with firm, pale pink meat and a fine grain. Thin chops overcook in seconds, so thicker is safer for this lean cut. A faint marbling through the eye is a bonus that helps keep them moist.

Raw chops keep three to four days in the coldest part of the fridge and freeze well for four to six months, wrapped tightly against freezer burn. Lean meat suffers more from freezer burn, so wrap with care.

Cooked chops keep three to four days but reheat poorly, drying out under heat. They are better sliced cold over a salad, or warmed gently in a little sauce or broth rather than blasted in the microwave.

Quick facts

In Chinese

猪排，中心切

British (UK) term

Pork chops, centre cut

en français

côtelettes de porc, coupe du centre

en español

chuletas de cerdo, corte central

Recipes using pork chops, centre cut

There are 9 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 9 recipes