Pork can be a tricky meat to cook, but one chef has shared a simple pre-cooking step to ensure you get juicy pork chops with perfectly crispy skin every time
Pork can be absolutely delicious when prepared properly, but getting the meat just right without it becoming overdone, parched or tough can be challenging. It’s the type of meat where one misstep can spoil the entire dish.
To help home cooks prepare the best pork chop imaginable, with succulent meat and crackling skin, one chef has shared the additional step that everyone ought to incorporate into their cooking method – and it couldn’t be simpler. Chef Charles Kim, better known as Chef Fatty on TikTok, shared his advice on how to prepare outstanding pork, reports the Express.
In a video posted in July, Chef Fatty revealed: “Did you know the perfect pork chop is actually pink in the middle?”
He clarified that many people make a mistake when preparing pork, noting that the goal of achieving white meat is actually incorrect. White meat indicates that the pork has been overcooked and becomes “rubbery and dry”.
The chef added, “Just like steak, pork is safe at 145°F (62°C). Go any higher, and it turns chewy.”
So how can you achieve the ideal cook on a pork chop while ensuring the skin stays crispy?
All of this preparation can be completed in advance, meaning it won’t extend your cooking time.
How to cook juicy pork
First, you’ll need to dry-brine the pork. Ensure the pork is completely dry, with no excess moisture.
Next, season both sides of the chop with salt. Allow the pork chops to rest in the fridge for one hour or overnight.
Chef Fatty said: “When salt hits the meat, it draws out water, creating a salty brine on the surface. Then the meat soaks that back in, making the proteins hold on to the water when it cooks.
“Then when you leave it in the fridge, the dry air sucks more moisture off the surface, making it easier for browning.”
For thinner pork chops, you can either grill or pan-fry until the internal temperature reaches 145F in the centre. With thicker cuts, use the reverse sear method by placing them in an oven or air fryer at 300°F (approximately 148°C) until they reach 130°F (54°C), then finish off in the pan.
Applying salt to pork skin helps achieve crispiness by drawing moisture out through osmosis. The key to excellent crackling is ensuring the skin is dry; moist skin will steam during cooking and remain soft, whereas dry skin will bubble, puff up, and become crunchy under high heat.
The food experts at Good Food are in agreement. If you’re finding it difficult to get crispy crackling, you might not be using sufficient salt.
Good Food explained: “Use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining, as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat. You can mix it with some oil to help it coat the pork if you need to. Rub it into the skin really well, including into the scored grooves.”
Another possibility is that the pork skin hasn’t been dried adequately. To address this, ensure the pork is thoroughly dry by patting it with kitchen roll to remove any excess moisture.
The specialists at Good Food also highlighted that scoring the pork’s skin, which can be done easily with a sharp knife, makes a difference.
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