Oven BBQ Pork Chops

These Oven BBQ Pork Chops feature juicy chops coated in a tangy, smoky BBQ sauce.

It takes just minutes to prepare and you only need 4 ingredients!

If you don’t have a grill or can’t grill, making BBQ pork chops in the oven is a great way to get dinner on the table.

Plus they happen to naturally be gluten-free and dairy-free and can easily be made Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

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Why this recipe works

These BBQ pork chops can be made 2 different ways: baked or broiled.

There’s not a big difference in the end result. I usually broil mine since I’m too impatient to wait for the oven to heat up.

Neither oven baked pork chops nor broiled pork chops will get quite the color compared to searing them on the stove or a grill, but that’s okay! They’ll still be juicy and delicious.

 

What you need for these Oven BBQ pork chops

Not a whole lot! You’ll just need:

• a cutting board and chef’s knife to prepare the chops
• a baking sheet 
• aluminum foil for easy clean-up
• a spoon or basting brush

And my two secret weapons for perfectly cooked chops:

• if baking, a probe thermometer to make sure they’re not over- or under-cooked (an instant read thermometer is also fine but then you might have to keep opening the oven to check the temperature)
• if broiling, an instant read thermometer

While these aren’t strictly necessary, I highly, highly recommend them. There’s nothing more annoying than a chop that’s still raw inside or dry as leather.

With these thermometers, you’ll have perfectly cooked pork, chicken, beef and fish.

And you only need 4 ingredients!

• my easy homemade BBQ sauce
• thick-cut (about 1-1.5″) pork chops, bone-in or boneless
• avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
• fine sea salt

My homemade BBQ sauce takes just minutes to make with pantry ingredients so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner. You’ll have an all-purpose tangy, smoky sauce that you can make as sweet or as spicy as you like.

You can use another BBQ sauce but if it has more sugar, it might burn more easily.

How to make Oven BBQ Pork Chops

Prepare the chops:

Step 1: Pat the chops dry and season with the salt, about 1/8 teaspoon per side (can be done up to an hour in advance).

Step 2: Trim off any excess fat around the sides, if desired. Neither baking nor broiling will really caramelize the fat too much. (You can sear the fat on the stove first, if you want. See notes below the recipe.)

Step 3: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with avocado/olive oil spray.

How to bake pork chops:

Step 1: Heat the oven to 400º.

Step 2: Arrange the chops on the foil. Bake for 6-7 minutes (four chops on a baking sheet shouldn’t be too close together, so they should only take about 6 minutes per side. If they are snuggled up close, they may take a few minutes longer per side). Flip the chops and brush or spoon on the sauce. You’ll need about 1-2 tablespoons per chop.

Step 3: Bake for another 6-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature on the chops reaches 145°.

Step 4: Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes, then serve with more sauce (warmed up on the stove or in the microwave).

How to broil pork chops:

Step 1: Turn on your broiler (to high, if you have that option).

Step 2: Arrange the chops on the foil. Broil for 6-7 minutes (four chops on a baking sheet shouldn’t be too close together, so they should only take about 6 minutes per side. If they are snuggled up close, they may take a few minutes longer per side). Flip the chops and broil for another 3 minutes. Brush or spoon on the sauce. You’ll need about 1-2 tablespoons per chop.

Step 3: Broil 3 more minutes, or until the internal temperature on the chops reaches 145°.

Step 4: Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes, then serve with more sauce (warmed up on the stove or in the microwave).

 

Substitutions and variations

• You can use my Tequila Pineapple BBQ Sauce for a more citrus-y, brighter kind of flavor.
• You can use another BBQ sauce but if it has more sugar, it might burn more easily (especially if broiling).
• To make sure these are Paleo or Whole30, follow the instructions for those programs when making the sauce. You can use store-bought sauces or try my easy Paleo BBQ Sauce or Whole30 BBQ Sauce.

 

Make-ahead instructions for Oven BBQ Pork Chops

The chops can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Reheat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave, for 3-4 minutes under the broiler or for about 10-15 minutes in a 350° oven.

The chops can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.

Leftovers are good cold (like sliced on a salad), room temperature or warm.

 

Other weeknight dinner ideas

• baked BBQ chicken
• 3-ingredient balsamic pork chops
• one-pan creamy mustard pork chops
• crunchy plantain chip chicken
• spiced butter baked cod with green beans

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