Oven BBQ Pork Chops

Content… How to Make Perfectly Juicy Pork Chops Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Perfect Pork Chop Recipes to Try Watch How to Make It

How to Make Perfectly Juicy BBQ Pork Chops

All anyone wants in a good pork chop is a juicy, tender middle and a slightly crisp outer layer. But how do you achieve both without overcooking? That can be a dilemma. I’ve got it down to a science over the years, and it calls for two simple steps.

First, use a meat thermometer and stop cooking when your chops reach 145°F (63°C). Second, broil them for 2 minutes just before taking them out of the oven. If you do those two things, your pork chops will come out perfect every time! 👌

Recipe Ingredients

1. Homemade BBQ Sauce – For a homemade sauce, you’ll need minced onion and garlic, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, and molasses. Add brown sugar, smoked paprika, celery seeds, chili powder (optional), and crushed pepper flakes to ramp up the spice factor. Or just use a store-bought BBQ sauce—your call. 
2. Seasoning Rub – For ultra-delicious chops, start with a dry rub with garlic and onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil to the mix, and the spices turn into a damp rub you spread all over the pork chops.
3. Pork Chops – I love bone-in chops, which I used here, but boneless is fine too. Just watch the internal temp and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

How to Make BBQ Pork Chops in the Oven

Make the BBQ Sauce

• Cook the Aromatics – Combine onions and garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for a minute or two until the onions are soft and translucent. Set aside. 
• Add Spice – In a medium bowl, add the ketchup, lemon juice, chili, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, molasses, pepper flakes, and celery seeds. Then, add the onions and garlic mixture. (Photos 1-2)
• Done – Next, mix until thoroughly combined and set aside. 

Season the Pork Chops

• Seasonings – Mix the olive oil, garlic and onion powder, paprika, and S&P in a small bowl. (Photo 3)
• Season the Chops – Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place the pork chops on it. Brush them on both sides with the olive oil mixture.
• Brush the pork chops generously with ⅔ of your barbecue sauce. Reserve the rest for basting later.

Bake the Pork Chops

• Bake your BBQ pork chops in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. (Photo 4)
• Baste – After 20 minutes, remove the pork chops from the oven and brush them on both sides with the BBQ sauce. 
• Return the pork chops to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 145°F (63°C). 
• Broil for the last 2 minutes before you take them out of the oven. 
• Serve – Once your oven-baked BBQ pork chops are cooked through, remove them from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Serve them with your favorite sides.

Recipe Variations

1. Swap out the sauce. Try a creamy Dijon sauce, ginger soy sauce, or any other sauce you love. Pork chops pair well with lots of flavors. 
2. Try it with chicken. You can also use this seasoning rub and BBQ sauce to flavor chicken before baking. Just adjust your cook times and temps according to the cut of chicken you use. 
3. Extra spicy or plenty mild. Leave out the spicy ingredients for mild pork chops, or amp them up if you love hot foods. A dash of your favorite hot sauce in the BBQ sauce will deliver an extra kick. ❤️‍🔥
4. DIY Sweet Baby Ray. ¼ cup water, 1 cup ketchup, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons molasses, ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and S&P to taste. Simmer all the ingredients until thickened, adjust seasonings to taste, and enjoy.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use bone-in pork chops for more flavor and juiciness. 
2. Don’t overcook the pork chops, as they can become dry and tough. A meat thermometer will ensure they reach the right internal temperature, 145°F (63°C). 
3. Let the BBQ pork chops rest for a few minutes before serving. That allows the juices to redistribute and the meat to become more tender.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Store cooked BBQ pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat them, simply put them in an oven-safe dish covered with foil and bake them at 350°F (180℃) for 10 minutes or so until they are just heated through. Don’t overdo it since they can get tough and dried out.  

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve your pork chops hot out of the oven with your fave sides. Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days or freeze them for 3-4 months—reheat them as noted above. 

What Goes With Oven BBQ Pork Chops

Pork chops are one dish that goes with almost everything, so just add your favorite sides. Two of mine are mashed sweet potatoes and easy coleslaw when I’m in a hurry. But if I have time, I like making parmesan-crusted asparagus and scalloped potatoes. Mmm! 😋

More Perfect Pork Chop Recipes to Try

1. Pellet Grilled Pork Chops
2. Easy Smothered Pork Chops
3. Breaded Pork Chops
4. Stuffed Pork Chops
5. Pan-Fried Boneless Pork Chops

Watch How to Make It