Are you tired of overcooked and dry pork chops? You’ve come to the right place! In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to achieve tender, moist, and flavorful pork chops every time using the sous vide method.
Table of Contents
- You’ll Love These Sous Vide Pork Chops
- The Benefits of Cooking Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
- Choosing the Right Cut of Pork Chops
- Overview of How to Cook Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
- A. How to Season Boneless Pork Chops
- B. Preparing Boneless Pork Chops for Sous Vide Cooking
- C. Sous Vide Equipment Needed
- D. Setting up the Sous Vide Equipment – and How to Make Sous Vide Pork Chops
- E. Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide Cooking Temperature and Time
- F. Grilling Sous Vide Pork Chops for an Eye-Catching Finish
- Tips for Sous Vide Pork Chops (Boneless)
- What to Serve with Boneless Sous Vide Pork Chops
- Storing Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
- Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops FAQs
- Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide with Arugula
You’ll Love These Sous Vide Pork Chops
Picture this: perfect pork chops that are evenly cooked and never dry or tough. With sous vide, that’s exactly what you’ll get. By immersing vacuum-sealed pork chops in a precisely controlled water bath, you’ll gently cook them to perfection, retaining all the wonderful natural juices and flavors.
I’ll walk you through the entire process, from selecting the right cuts of pork chops to seasoning and preparing them for sous vide. I’ll also share tips on how to achieve those beautiful grill marks afterward, ensuring a restaurant-quality presentation.
Get ready to take your pork chop game to a whole new level and impress your friends and family with this foolproof sous vide technique.
The Benefits of Cooking Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
Sous vide cooking offers numerous advantages when it comes to cooking many cuts of meat, especially lean boneless pork chops:
- Risk-free cooking. The precise temperature control used in sous vide ensures the meat is cooked evenly, eliminating the risk of overcooking or undercooking certain areas of the chop, and resulting in a perfectly cooked piece of meat every time. Plus, sous vide is very forgiving; you can leave the chops in the water bath for up to 4 hours without overcooking.
- Moist and tender result. The sous vide method is particularly advantageous for pork chops because it preserves their natural juices by preventing any moisture from escaping. This is especially crucial for lean cuts of meat, as they can become dry when subjected to traditional cooking methods.
- Flexible seasoning options. You can experiment with adding various herbs, spices, or oils as well as other ingredients (including garlic) to the pork in the sous vide cooking bag. As an alternative, you can marinate the pork chops prior to cooking.
- Uber flavorful. Sous vide cooking allows any added seasonings to penetrate the meat evenly, resulting in a bold and succulent pork chop.
- Make ahead. The beauty of sous vide cooking is that you do all the work ahead of time. All that’s left at the end is a quick sear on each side of the chops just before serving.
Choosing the Right Cut of Pork Chops
I recommend using boneless pork loin chops that are 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Boneless chops are leaner, making them ideal candidates for sous vide because this method prevents them from drying out. And in terms of size, thicker chops are more forgiving and stand up better to longer cooking times.
You could also use bone-in pork chops – called center loin chop, center-cut loin chop, loin pork chop, pork loin end chop, or top-loin chop.
Overview of How to Cook Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
The following six sections provide step-by-step guidance on seasoning and preparing the pork chops, setting up the sous vide equipment, cooking time and temperature, then ending with instructions on swiftly finishing the chops on the grill for an appealing presentation. And, at the end of this post, you’ll find a recipe card with a specific Pork Chop Sous Vide Recipe that includes a vibrant sauce as well as a quick and easy side dish.
A. How to Season Boneless Pork Chops
Seasoning boneless pork chops before sous vide cooking is a crucial step in enhancing their flavor. While salt and pepper are the basic seasonings, sous vide allows for additional ingredients to be added to the cooking bag in order to enhance the overall flavor of the meat. For my recipe (see Recipe Card below), I add olive oil and fresh herbs (parsley, chives, and tarragon) to the cooking bag with the chops.
Note: If you choose to add a marinade to the cooking bag with your pork chops (I don’t in my recipe), keep in mind that the marinade should not be too acidic (no vinegar or citrus juices). During the sous vide process, acidic ingredients can break down the meat’s fibers and result in a mushy texture. Opt instead for marinades that include herbs, spices, oils, etc. If needed, you can add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar after cooking. Alternatively, you can marinate the chops ahead of time, then remove them for cooking.
B. Preparing Boneless Pork Chops for Sous Vide Cooking
- Remove chops from their packaging, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season chops with salt and pepper on both sides and place in a resealable bag (or bags), making sure they are in a single layer.
- Add your seasoning ingredients to the bag.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag by using a vacuum sealer. Alternatively, place the chops and seasonings in a ziptop baggie and seal with the water displacement method: Partially seal the baggie, leaving a small corner open. Slowly lower the bag into the water bath, allowing the water pressure to push out the air. Once most of the air is out, seal the bag completely.
C. Sous Vide Equipment Needed
To cook boneless pork chops sous vide, you’ll need:
- Sous vide immersion circulator
- Large container or stock pot to hold the water. The container needs to be deep enough for the chops to be completely submerged in the water. And, you can use a container custom made for sous vide, or a deep stock pot.
- Container lid (recommended), or a towel, foil or some other way to cover the top.
- Container top rack (recommended) for clipping the food bags to hold them in place. Can also clip to sides of the container.
- Food vacuum sealer or zip top baggies.
Recommended Equipment For Sous Vide Cooking
D. Setting up the Sous Vide Equipment – and How to Make Sous Vide Pork Chops
- Fill the container with water, ensuring that it’s above the minimum level and enough water to fully submerge the pork chops without overflowing.
- Attach the sous vide immersion circulator to the container and set the desired temperature.
- Once the water has reached the desired temperature, carefully lower the sealed bags of pork chops into the water bath. Make sure the chops are submerged and not touching the water circulator. If you are using a ziptop baggie, then make sure the zipper top is out of the water.
- Clip the top of the bag onto a sous vide rack or the top of the container to keep the bags submerged.
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap to minimize evaporation and heat loss.
- Let the pork chops cook in the sous vide water bath for the recommended time (see next section).
E. Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide Cooking Temperature and Time
Sous vide cooking allows for precise temperature control, ensuring that the boneless pork chops are cooked to your desired level of doneness. The recommended temperature range for cooking pork chops sous vide is 140 degrees for medium-rare or 145 degrees for medium.
In terms of cooking time, it depends on the thickness of the pork chops. As a general guideline, cook 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick chops for 1 to 4 hours, and add 15 minutes for each additional 1/2-inch of thickness.
F. Grilling Sous Vide Pork Chops for an Eye-Catching Finish
Once the boneless pork chops have finished cooking in the sous vide water bath, it’s time to give them a beautiful finish. I prefer searing them on a hot grill or grill pan, but you can also finish the chops in a hot skillet. Here’s how to do it on a grill:
- Heat grill on high.
- When grill is hot, using tongs, dip a folded paper towel in canola oil and rub it over the grill grates. Stand back from the grill, in case of any flare-ups. (I also wear an oven mitt.)
- Carefully remove pork chops from the sealed bags and pat them dry with paper towels. The drier the surface of the meat, the better the sear will be.
- Place the pork chops on the hot grill and sear, without moving, for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or just until the bottom develops grill marks. (Gently lift up one corner to see the marks.) Using a pair of tongs, flip the chops and continue cooking for an additional 45 seconds to minute to sear and mark the second side.
- Remove chops from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the juices to redistribute.
Tips for Sous Vide Pork Chops (Boneless)
- Season the pork. Enhance the flavor of your pork chops by adding seasonings to the sealed bag along with the chops before cooking. This allows the flavors to infuse into the meat during the sous vide process.
- Place pork in one layer in sealed bags. When placing the pork chops in the cooking bags, ensure they are arranged in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the bags, allowing both sides of the chops to make contact with the bag. This ensures even heat distribution from the water bath.
- Ensure submersion. While cooking, ensure the pork chop sealed bagged remain fully submerged in the water bath and avoid letting them rest against the water circulator. This promotes even cooking throughout the chops.
- Follow recommended cooking times. Adhere to the recommended cooking times to achieve the desired level of doneness. Aim to cook the pork chops for at least the minimum recommended time. However, be cautious not to exceed the maximum time, as this could lead to overcooking and result in tougher meat.
- Dry chops before grilling. Before finishing the pork chops on the grill, ensure the surface of the chops is dry. A drier surface will lead to a better sear when grilling.
- Grill with care. Place the chops on the grill and refrain from moving them for at least 45 seconds. This allows the grill marks to form on the meat. To check the underside, gently lift one corner of a chop. And, when it’s time to flip the chops, use a pair of tongs rather than a fork. Forks can puncture the meat and cause precious juices to escape, leading to potential dryness. Lastly, don’t sear for too long or your meat will be overdone and tough – up to 1 minute per side should do it.
What to Serve with Boneless Sous Vide Pork Chops
Because pork loin chops are mild, I think it’s important to serve them with a complementary sauce. In the recipe below, I use a Djon Sauce comprised of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs.
Sous vide boneless pork chops are a versatile main dish that can be served with a variety of sides. Follow my recipe below and start with baby arugula, and then add one of these dishes:
Storing Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide
If you have any leftover pork chops, place cooled chops in an airtight container and refrigerate. They will keep for up to 4 days. Tip: they are excellent in my Leftover Pork Quesadillas!
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Boneless Pork Chops Sous Vide with Arugula
In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to achieve tender, moist, and flavorful pork chops every time using the sous vide method.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Resting time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 pork chops 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops
- 4 boneless pork loin chops, 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large (3 to 4 inches) sprig fresh parsley
- 1 to 2 long (3 to 4 inches) chive stems
- 1 (2 inch) sprig fresh tarragon
- Canola, vegetable, or other high smoke point oil, for searing after cooking
Dijon Sauce
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Serving
- 1 bunch baby arugula, cleaned and stems removed
Instructions
Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops
- Remove chops from their packaging, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season with salt and pepper and place in a resealable bag (or bags), making sure they are in a single layer.
- Add olive oil, parsley, chive, and tarragon.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag by using a vacuum sealer. Alternatively, place the chops and seasonings in a ziptop baggie and seal with the water displacement method: Partially seal the baggie, leaving a small corner open. Slowly lower the bag into the water bath, allowing the water pressure to push out the air. Once most of the air is out, seal the bag completely.
- Fill the sous vide container with water, ensuring that it’s above the minimum and enough water to fully submerge the pork chops without overflowing.
- Attach the sous vide immersion circulator to the container and set the temperature to 140 degrees for medium-rare or 145 degrees for medium.
- Once the water has reached the desired temperature, carefully lower the sealed bag of pork chops into the water bath. Make sure the chops are submerged and not touching the water circulator. If you are using a ziptop baggie, then make sure the zipper is out of the water. Clip the top of the bag on a sous vide rack or the top of the container to keep the bags submerged. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap to minimize evaporation and heat loss.
- Set the cook time between 1 and 4 hours.
Dijon Sauce
- While the chops are cooking, in a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, parsley, chives, and tarragon. Cover and set aside.
Searing and Serving
- When the chops are done, preheat a grill on high. Can also use a grill pan on the stovetop.
- Once grill is hot, using tongs, dip a folded paper towel in the canola oil and rub it over the grill grates. Stand back from the grill, in case of any flare-ups. (I also wear an oven mitt.)
- Carefully remove the pork chops from the sealed bags and pat them dry with paper towels. (The drier the surface of the meat, the better the sear will be.)
- Place the pork chops on the hot grill and sear, without moving, for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until the bottom develops nice grill marks. (Gently lift up one corner to see the marks.) Using a pair of tongs, flip the chops and continue cooking for an additional 45 secondes to 1 minute to sear and mark the second side.
- Remove chops from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the juices to redistribute.
- While the chops are resting, toss the arugula with enough Dijon Sauce to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide arugula between 4 dinner plates. Top with the chops. Spoon Dijon sauce over top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Variation: If you don’t want to cook the chops sous vide, then you can just grill them:
1. Preheat grill on medium.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, parsley, chives and tarragon.
3. When grill is hot, oil grill grates (see instruction above).
3. Place chops on grill and brush top liberally with mustard mixture. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, turn and brush again with mustard mixture. Cook an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until done (when the chops reach 140 to 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer). Watch carefully – they will dry out if overcooked.
- Category: Main dish, cooking tips
- Method: Sous Vide, Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chop
- Calories: 231
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 370.1 mg
- Fat: 22.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.5 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 17.9 mg
Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops FAQs
Sous vide is a cooking technique where raw food is vacuum-sealed in a bag and cooked at a precise temperature in a circulating water bath. This method ensures even cooking and helps retain the natural flavors and juices of the food.
The cooking time depends on the thickness of the pork chops. For chops that are 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick, 1 to 4 hours is recommended. For each additional 1/2-inch in thickness, add around 15 minutes to the minimum time.
Yes, you can cook multiple pork chops in the same water bath, as long as the chops are in one layer in the bag, and there’s enough space in the container for water circulation.
Yes, you should sear pork chops after sous vide cooking. It adds a flavorful crust and enhances the appearance of the dish. A quick sear on an oiled grill, grill pan or hot skillet for about 1-2 minutes per side is sufficient.
