Pork Chop Selection Tips
- Color and appearance: The color of the meat should be pale pink. Never buy pork that appears iridescent. The fat should be bright white; it should never be yellow or brown. For bone-in chops, the bone should look fresh. The end of the bone should be red and white and there should be no discoloration or brownish hue anywhere. For boneless chops, you should have a uniform fat cap around half of the chop. These should be less fatty and they should be cut uniformly.
- Fat: Some fat should be speckled throughout the chop. This is called marbling.
- Smell: Chops should always smell fresh. There should be no foul or strong odor present.
- Pre-packaged: Always pick a pre-cut chop that has no tears in the package. Look at the date. Try and find chops that are as many days from expiration as you can. The fresher the better. There should be no liquid in the bottom of the package and there should be no appearance of a slimy film. The flesh should be moist and bounce back when you press on it.
- Custom cuts: If you are selecting from a butcher case, always ask to see the chops before they are wrapped. You want to smell them and look at them to ensure optimal freshness. Tell the butcher what you plan to do with them. Your butcher will guide you on what you need. If you don’t see what you want – ask for help.
1 - 2 pd. pork chops
1 1/2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
Sprinkle pork chops with seasoning. In a large skillet cook pork chops about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan.
Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard to skillet. Cook to loosen pork bits and stir. Return pork chops to pan and cook on low an additional 20 minutes. Turning twice while cooking.