A pork chop, like other

meat chop A meat chop is a cut of meat cut perpendicular to the spine, and usually containing a rib or riblet part of a vertebra and served as an individual portion. The most common kinds of meat chops are pork and lamb. A thin boneless chop, or one with ...

s, is a

loin The loins, or lumbus, are the sides between the lower ribs and pelvis, and the lower part of the back. The term is used to describe the anatomy of humans and quadrupeds, such as horses, pigs, or cattle. The anatomical reference also applies to pa ...

cut Cut may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely-directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** Cut (ea ...

taken perpendicular to the spine of the

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

and is usually a rib or part of a

vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristi ...

Pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...

chops are unprocessed and leaner than other cuts. Chops are commonly served as an individual portion, and can be accompanied with

applesauce Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and may be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and s ...

, vegetables, and other sides. Pork is one of the most commonly consumed meats in the world. In the United States, pork chops are the most commonly consumed meat cut from the pork loin and account for 10% of total pork consumption.

Variations

The center cut or pork loin chop includes a large T-shaped bone and is structurally similar to the

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...

T-bone steak The T-bone and porterhouse are steaks of beef cut from the short loin (called the sirloin in Commonwealth countries and Ireland). Both steaks include a "T"-shaped lumbar vertebra with sections of abdominal internal oblique muscle on each s ...

. Rib chops come from the rib portion of the loin, and are similar to

rib eye steak The rib eye or ribeye (known as Scotch fillet in Australia and New Zealand) is a boneless rib steak from the Beef ribs, rib section. Description Ribeye steaks are mostly composed of the longissimus dorsi muscle but also contain the complexus ...

s. Blade or shoulder chops come from the spine and tend to contain much connective tissue. The sirloin chop is taken from the (rear) leg end and also contains much connective tissue. The shoulder end produces chops that are considerably fattier than the chops taken from the loin end. The "Iowa Chop" is a large thick center cut with its name coined in 1976 by the

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

Pork Producers Association due to the state producing more pork than any other in the nation. The center-cut loin is often over thick, and likened to a quality cut of beef due to its size and tenderness. A "Bacon Chop" is cut from the shoulder end and leaves the

pork belly Pork belly or belly pork is a boneless and fatty cut of meat from the belly of a pig. Pork belly is particularly popular in Hispanic, Chinese, Danish, Norwegian, Korean, Thai and Filipino cuisine. Regional dishes France In Alsatian ...

meat attached. Pork chops are sometimes sold

marinate Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flav ...

d, or they can be prepared at home to add flavor; marinades such as a

chili sauce Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers. Chili sauce may be hot, sweet or a combination thereof, and may differ from hot sauce in that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces ...

or a barbecue sauce are common. As pork is often cooked more thoroughly than beef, thus running the risk of drying out, pork chops can be brining, brined to maintain moistness. One could also wrap pork chops in bacon to add further moistness during the cooking process.

Preparation

Pork chops are suitable for roasting, grilling, or frying, but there are also stuffed recipes. They can be used Boneless meat, boneless or Meat on the bone, bone-in. Pork chops are usually cut between thick. Improved breeding techniques have made it possible to cook pork to a lower temperature, helping it to remain juicy, while still being safe to eat. United States government guidelines recommend a minimum cooking temperature of . It is a versatile cut of meat, which can be transformed into many different dishes and recipes.

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links