If this is your first foray into pork chops, there are a few things you should know before you get started — but don't let that intimidate you! We've all been beginners and trust us, chops are easy to work with.

Bone-In Pork Chops Vs Boneless Pork Chops

Pork chops are cut from the loin. If you're looking at the body of a pig, it's the meat that you would get from the back. Lengthwise, it lies between the shoulder and the leg (where we get ham), and crosswise it only extends to where the belly (where we get bacon!) begins. This is where we get rib chops — that's probably what you think of when you hear "pork chops." They have the curved bone that runs along the meat. Boneless pork chops are just rib chops without the bone. Boneless chops aren't quite as flavorful as the bone-in chops because there's less fat and connective tissue, but they're both delicious.

Cooking With Chops

We love our grilled pork chops, but pork chops can be baked or thrown into a slow cooker for that set-it-and-forget-it technique that saves us a few headaches when we're planning meals. Here are a few tips for each method.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

There are dozens of awesome slow cooker recipes to try but the slow cooker may not be the best way to cook pork chops — the pork shoulder is a better cut for slow cooking but that doesn't mean you can't do an overnight marinade with your chops before gently cooking them on low for a few hours (depending on the recipe you are using). However, make sure you brown the meat before you toss it in the fun cooker.

Baked Pork Chops

This dinner recipe works well for baking if you don't have access to a grill. It's best if you sear the chops on the stovetop first and then finish them in the preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other Types Of Dressings To Use

While this dish uses Italian-style salad dressing, you can apply this method using other types of dressings (except for dairy-based dressings). For a sweet and spicy Asian pork chop, use an Asian dressing like sesame ginger, or Teriyaki.