A pork chop is a serving sized portion of pork which often contains a bone. Although pork was considered fattening and unhealthy in the not so distant past pork is now so lean due to new breeding and feeding methods that it has become widely known as “the other white meat”. Thanks to their low fat content pork chops are becoming more and more desirable world wide.

The highest grade pork chops come from the loin region as they are the tenderest. The less desirable chops are made of rib and sirloin. Even though they very in tenderness, all pork chop varieties have lean, mild flavored meat.

Loin chops are prime grade with the trademark t-bone shape, while butterfly chops are boneless cuts taken from the eye of the loin. Rib chops although slightly less tender than loin chops are also considered prime grade. Sirloin and blade chops are however considered economical varieties and much lower quality than the loin and rib cuts.

Top quality pork chops should be reddish-pink in color. If the chops are dark red that is a good sign that they have high acidic levels and will go bad quite quickly, so they should be consumed on the day of purchase. Dark red chops are usually very juicy and flavorful. If the chops have a brownish-green appearance or emit an odor they are likely past their expiration date and should not be consumed. Also, if any fat remains on the cut it should be no more than 1/8 of an inch, any wider than that and the meat will have the dreaded rubbery consistency when eaten.

In my opinion the best place to buy pork chops is online through a gourmet meat shop. There are several advantages to buying all sorts of meat online, including; freshness, quality and convenience.

When you buy pork chops at a local store, they are at the end of a long journey that they have taken from the breeder to the distributor and finally to the store. This process can take upwards of 4 days and only god knows what they went through on their way to your plate. This is not an issue when you buy online from a reputable gourmet meat supplier, as they are shipped directly to you overnight in a temperature controlled box.

The quality of pork chops bought online is also superior to those available in stores because online suppliers stock only the best meats available since their customers can’t physically inspect the meat before purchasing, and also because selling direct to the consumer is a dream come true for the supplier and they want to keep you happy so you buy over and over.

Buying pork chops online is also very convenient as they are delivered right to your door 24 hours after ordering without the hassles of going to the store and waiting in long lines.

Once you receive your pork chops you should keep them in their original packaging and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. However if you plan to wait more than 2 days before consuming them you should freeze them wrapped in freezer paper, inside a freezer bag at 18 degrees F. They will keep up to 10 months in the freezer.

When it comes time to cook your pork chops, thaw them thoroughly if frozen. It used to be said you should cook them until they are white to avoid trichinosis, however with advances in feeding and breeding, trichinosis has been virtually eliminated and this is no longer necessary. Cooking pork chops until they are white only makes for unpleasant tough meat these days.

Pork chops can be cooked in a wide variety of ways including grilled, broiled, sautéed and baked, among others. Pork chops are ready when their internal temperature is 160 degrees F and their internal coloring is white and slightly pink in the center.

Pork chops have come a long way over the past 30 years and are now one of the most healthy meats available. Besides the healthy attributes they also have a delightful mild taste and tender texture which makes them a great addition to any home menu, Bon Appétit!