A home cook tried to rescue dry, tough boneless pork chops with a 15 hour dry brine of salt, brown sugar, and seasonings. The next batch came out much juicier, but the meat was still tough. He wondered whether a wet brine, a longer dry brine, bone in chops, or better pork would solve the problem. Reddit cooks kept coming back to something else: stop relying on cooking time and watch the internal temperature.
The chops were about 1 inch thick. After brining, he seared them for three minutes per side, then put them into a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Reddit kept asking about temperature
Several commenters focused on the thermometer before debating wet versus dry brining.
One advised checking internal temperature instead of relying on a fixed number of minutes because chop thickness, starting temperature, pans, and ovens can change the result.
Another put the rule in four words: “Cook to temperature, not time.”
The original poster already owned an instant read thermometer but said its guidance listed 160°F for medium. Several commenters considered that too high for the result he wanted.
Brining can help, but longer isn’t always better
The cook noticed a clear improvement after dry brining. His second chop was much juicier, even though toughness remained.
That doesn’t mean another 10 hours in salt is the automatic next step.
Advice in the thread varied. Some preferred short brines, while others dry brined for 12 to 24 hours. One commenter warned that extended brining of smaller cuts can change the texture and make the finished meat too salty.
Another recommended measuring salt against the weight of the pork rather than adding an arbitrary amount.
Wet and dry brines give different results
Several cooks in the thread preferred wet brines for pork chops. One described using a molasses brine, while another recommended a salt solution with seasonings.
Other commenters preferred dry brining because the drier exterior can produce a better sear and avoid diluting the pork flavor.
There wasn’t one answer shared by everyone. The stronger point across the discussion was that changing the brine won’t compensate for poor temperature control.
A lower oven can give you more control
One commenter suggested reversing the order.
Instead of hard searing first and following with a 400°F oven, cook thick chops in a 200°F to 250°F oven, watch their internal temperature, then finish them in a hot skillet for one or two minutes per side.
Another recommended the same reverse sear approach for thick chops, using a low oven followed by a short, hot sear.
Bone in wasn’t the clear answer either
The poster also wondered whether buying bone in chops would solve the toughness problem.
Reddit disagreed. One commenter felt bone in chops were juicier and more tender, while another said the bone itself does nothing for tenderness.
Cut quality and thickness came up too. One cook recommended buying better pork and choosing thicker chops when using a reverse sear.
The original poster ended the discussion planning to try a wet brine next. But the thread left him with another variable to watch before changing the brine again: the thermometer.
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