Here's How To Make Sure Your Pork Chops Don't Curl

Ugh. Your pork chops are making you crazy. They're either too dry, too pink, or they curl up and look weird. Your mom made cooking pork look so easy. How did she do it? It turns out that your mom may have had a few tricks tucked up her sleeve, right next to the half-used Kleenexes she was keeping for later. 

She likely knew, for instance, that fat is a pork chop's best friend. As Chef Works reveals, removing the fat before cooking is the biggest mistake you're making. The fat, after all, provides greater flavor while protecting the meat from becoming dry. If you must cut off the fat, do it after your chops are cooked. In fact, The Washington Post posits that the best way to avoid a leather-like chop is to baste it with butter. Yes, you should be cooking your chops the same way professional chefs prepare a steak — with lots of yummy butter. Your mom may also have known that the best way to avoid an overdone chop is to cook it to temperature. The USDA says that once a pork chop has reached 145 ºF, it can be left to rest for three minutes, and then it is ready to be devoured. 

So now you know how to avoid turning your pork chop into leather and how to ensure it's not undercooked. This leaves just one question unanswered: How did your mom keep her classic fried pork chops so nice and flat? 

You don't remember your mother ever serving a pork chop that was curled up like a catcher's mitt. No, her's were perfectly flat. You could always ask her how she did it, but you've worked hard to create your culinary expert image and you wouldn't want to shatter it. Besides, it turns out that her "secret" isn't as closely guarded as you thought. In fact, professional chefs use this trick all the time. 

Cook's Country explains this curling pork conundrum. When you cook a chop, the outer lining of fat along the side of it tightens up as it gets hot. This tightening pulls the rest of the chop into an uncomfortable-looking curl. To avoid this, it's recommended to make cuts through the fat at two-inch increments. America's Test Kitchen agrees that making these slices every two inches will suffice. 

Phew. You can take a deep breath and stop pulling out your hair. Now that you possess all your mom's pork chop tricks, you will never encounter another less-than-stellar piece of pork again. So, go call your mom. You've got some Southern Fried pork chops for her to try.