I’m kind of a snob (thanks Dad) and prefer locally raised Iowa pork, but really it comes down to your budget and preference. Many of the recipes we’ve rounded up below use a center-cut chop, but will work with some timing adjustments if you prefer another cut of meat. This cut is very lean and doesn’t have any connective tissue. The meat is cut from above the loin chop and is typically about an inch thick. The Center Cut-sometimes called a New York chop, pork loin chop and even America’s Cut-is always boneless. Because there are different types of muscles in one cut, you naturally get a lot of flavor variation. The Sirloin Chop comes from further down on the hip area and has more bone remaining. Either the loin or the top loin is a very lean cut of pork and is typically a little more expensive. Top loin chops indicate there is no tenderloin. The tenderloin gives these chops the classic T-bone shape. The Porterhouse (aka loin chop) comes from the hip area and sometimes includes the tenderloin. This cut is leaner than the blade chop, but still has a nice amount of fat to lend flavor once cooked. These cuts will always have the rib bones still attached. The Rib or Ribeye Chop comes from the center of the back, where the ribs are. Sometimes the blade chop is butterflied, or split in half, and sold as pork loin country-style ribs. This cut in particular is good for slow cooking, as the longer cook time breaks down the gristle. This meat is a little darker in color, more marbled and has more connective tissue between the meat and the bone. The Blade Chop, also known as the shoulder chop, comes from the shoulder! Genius, I know. Regardless, select meat that’s pink with a small amount of marbling and white (not yellow) fat. Other names indicate exactly where along the back the meat comes from, and sometimes just the size of the cut. The most important thing is that the pork chop comes from the loin, or the big back muscle. There are a lot of variations on the pork chop theme. The best cuts have a small ribbon of fat along one side that helps flavor your pork-no matter how you prepare it. Not all pork chops are the same! When I think of a pork chop, I think of a thick, at least 1-inch thick, cut with the rib bone still attached.

Pork chops