Sous Vide Pork Chops Recipe with Video (5 Flavors)
on Oct 13, 2023
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These perfect Sous Vide Pork Chops are super tender, juicy, and full of flavor! This foolproof method cooks the bone-in or boneless pork chops to your targeted temperature precisely, and we’ll show you how to easily finish them with 5 different popular flavors!
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide means “under vacuum” in French. It’s a water bath cooking technique by vacuum-sealing food in a bag, and then cooking for a long time to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This method is known for being a precise and consistent way to cook meat or fish evenly.
Why Sous Vide Pork Chops
- Pork chops are lean cuts and prone to overcooking. The sous vide method guarantees the results and the meat is much more tender and juicer compared to traditional methods using crockpot, instant pot, or oven.
- It cooks the pork evenly from edge to edge. No more overcooked edges and undercooked center.
- It’s stress-free cooking by eliminating short windows of time for perfect doneness.
- You can easily customize the recipe with your favorite seasonings or sauces.
- It’s perfect for making ahead of time and great for meal prep too.
Essentials You’ll Need
- Sous Vide Immersion Circulators: If you’re looking for a reliable sous vide machine, I recommend Anova Culinary 750W.
- Zip Loc Bags or Vacuum Sealer
- Kitchen Tongs
- A Large Pot or Sous Vide Container
Ingredients For Basic Sous Vide Pork Chops
- Pork Chops: You can use either bone-in or boneless, thin or thick cut for this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Regular olive oil works the best for this recipe. Avoid extra virgin olive oil as it has a lower smoke point.
- Salt & Pepper: I used coarse salt, but you can use regular table salt or sea salt. Freshly ground black pepper works the best.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the sous vide machine
Set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 140°F (60°C) for medium-rare doneness (you can choose a different temperature, see the temp chart below).
Step 2: Season pork chops
Rub the pork chops with oil and season on both sides with coarse salt and ground black pepper.
Step 3: Sous vide cook pork chops
Add them into a zip-lock bag. Then place the bag in the water bath and seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique. Cook for 1 hour.
Step 4: Sear
When the pork chops are cooked, pat dry. Sear for about 1-2 minutes per side, and mix with your favorite sauce or seasoning. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips And Tricks
- Season generously with salt and pepper before sous vide cooking.
- Marinade or brine is unnecessary when cooking pork chops sous vide. You can simply cook the sauce and mix it with the pork chops after they’re done cooking in the sous vide water bath. Your pork chops will be very tender without the marinade.
- Dry the pork chops completely. Wipe off any extra moisture with paper towels as it inhibits proper searing.
- Customize the chops with your favorite sauce or seasoning. Simply add your preferred sauce during searing.
Sous Vide Pork Chops Temperature Chart
You’ll get pork chops with different doneness by adjusting the temperature of your sous vide machine. My favorite is 140°F/60°C which produces very tender and juicy pork chops. If you’d like to try other doneness, follow the chart below.
Temperature | Doneness | Texture |
130°F (54°C) | Rare | Soft, pink, and slightly slippery |
140°F (60°C) | Medium-rare | Tender and juicy |
150°F (66°C) | Medium-well | Firm, and slightly dry |
160°F (71°C) | Well Done | Firm and tough |
How Long Does It Take To Sous Vide Pork Chops?
Pork chops don’t require a long cook time. It takes about 1 hour to sous vide 1-inch pork chops, but you can leave them in the sous vide water bath for an extra 2 hours.
If your pork chops are thicker, you’ll need to add 15 minutes to the minimum time for each half-inch.
Sous Vide Pork Chops – 5 Different Flavors
If you’re like us and love having flavorful pork chops for dinner, shake up your meal routine with these sous vide pork chops. This is one basic recipe + 5 variations!
After you sous vide cook the pork chops, you can finish on the grill or stovetop. Pictured below are the 5 different flavors listed in the recipe card. Pick one of the following and take your pork chops to a new level!
Honey Garlic Sous Vide Pork Chops
Honey + Minced Garlic + Soy Sauce + White Vinegar
Balsamic Mustard Sous Vide Pork Chops
Balsamic Vinegar + Mustard + Chopped Rosemary + Salt
Maple Syrup Glazed Sous Vide Pork Chops
Maple Syrup + Soy Sauce + White Vinegar + Ketchup
Sous Vide Pork Chops With Applesauce
Applesauce + Brown Sugar + Cinnamon + Ground Mustard + Salt
Keto Sous Vide Pork Chops
Garlic Powder + Paprika + Salt + Pepper
Sides To Serve With Pork Chops
Best Cut for Sous Vide Pork Chops
The truth is that you can use any cut of pork chops for sous vide and get great results. Rib chops are the most desirable given their marbling, tenderness and flavor; however, they are also the most expensive option.
Boneless loin chops are leaner with a mild flavor. Sirloin chops are delicious if you can find them. Shoulder chops and blade chops are slightly less tender but the most affordable.
Sous Vide Bone-in vs Boneless Pork Chops
This is a matter of personal preference. Bone-in chops have the advantage of more flavor than boneless chops. However, the bones can occasionally be sharp and puncture the sous vide bag. Pick the type of chop you like best, or what you can find at your meat counter.
FAQs
Can you sous vide frozen pork chops?
Yes, you can sous vide pork chops straight from frozen. Follow the same instructions and add 30 more minutes to the cooking time.
Can I use zip-loc bags?
Yes. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer. Ziploc bags work perfectly for this recipe.
Just place the seasoned pork chops in a ziploc bag, and seal all but one corner of the bag. Slowly place it into the water bath, and make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. This technique is called the “Water Displacement” method.
Can you overcook pork sous vide?
Although you cannot “overcook” pork chops with the sous vide method (you can leave the meat in a warm bath for an extra hour or two), the texture can become mushy if they are left in the machine for too long.
Is it safe to eat pork chops at 140-145?
Yes, it’s safe to eat pork chops less cooked than well done. 145 F degree is the recommended minimum from USDA for traditionally cooked pork chops. As the sous vide method cooks the meat for a much longer time, it’s ok to eat them with a temperature slightly lower than that.
Should I brown the pork chops before sous vide cooking?
No, you don’t need to brown pork chops before starting the sous vide process. Instead, brown them in a hot skillet after sous vide.
When should I season pork chops (before or after sous vide cooking)
Season pork chops right before putting them into the bag for sous vide. Seasoning hours ahead of time can draw moisture out of the meat, reducing tenderness. Seasoning after sous vide reduces the flavor penetration into the meat.
What happens if I sous vide pork chops for too long?
You can leave pork chops in the sous vide water bath slightly longer than the recommended cooking time. The water temperature will prevent them from overcooking and there won’t be bacterial growth.
However, the meat texture will start deteriorating and become mushy if you leave them in the water bath for too long.
Why are my sous vide pork chops tough?
There are several possibilities if your sous vide pork chops came out tough:
- The water temperature is too high.
- The chops did not cook long enough (especially for shoulder or blade chops).
- You salted the chops too far in advance of cooking, drawing out moisture.
If you’ve tried these sous vide pork chops then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know. I love hearing from you!
How long to sous vide thick pork chops?
For a 2-inch thick pork chop, it takes about 2 to 4 hours to sous vide the meat.
Sous vide cooking is very forgiving, therefore your pork will turn out tender and juicy as long as you stay within this time range.
More Sous Vide Recipes
Best Sous Vide Pork Chops Recipe + VIDEO
Ingredients
Basic:
- 4 Pork Chops, (Bone-in or Bone-less, 1-inch thick, for thicker pork chops, see recipe notes*)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 ground black pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Balsamic Mustard Sauce:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
- salt to taste
Maple Syrup BBQ Sauce:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Applesauce:
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- salt to taste
Keto Seasoning:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the sous vide water bath: Add water to the sous vide container or a large pot, set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to (140°F/60°C) for medium-rare doneness. If you’d like to cook it more or less, see the temperature chart in the post above. (It's best to place the container on a cutting board or pad to prevent it from burning the surface of your counter.)
- Season the pork chops: Rub the pork chops with 1 tablespoon oil on all sides.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sous vide the pork chops: Add the seasoned pork to a zip-loc bag in one single layer. (You can also use vacuum seal bags if you have a vacuum sealer.)
- Seal all but one corner of the bag, and slowly place it into the water bath. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. (Use a kitchen tong to help to push down the bag if the water is too hot.)
- Leave the bag in the water bath and make sure it is fully submerged.
- Cook for 1 hour for 1-inch pork chops.
- Make the sauce or seasoning: While the pork chops are cooking in the sous vide water bath. You can mix the sauce or seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. If you choose to use one of the sauces, cook it in a skillet over medium-low heat until thickens. (Note that it will become thicker after cooling down.)
- Sear the pork chops: When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath and transfer it to the fridge or an ice bath. Let them chill for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the pork chops from the bag and wipe off the moisture with paper towels. (It's very important to dry the surface completely, otherwise, it will interfere with the searing.)
- Place the cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil.
- If you’re cooking the pork chops with one of the sauces, add the pork chops and sear about 1-2 minutes for the first side. Flip the pork chops, and add the sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, and toss the pork chops with the sauce. If you’re cooking the pork chops with the Keto seasoning, sprinkle the seasoning on the pork chops and sear in the skillet for about 1-2 minutes each side.
- Let the pork chops rest for about 5 minutes and serve.
Video
Notes
- *If your pork chops are thicker, you’ll need to add 15 minutes to the minimum time for each half-inch.
- Nutrition info is based on basic pork chops without adding the additional flavors.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
I’m new to sous vide cooking. Your vidio’s on pork chops are very informitive. Have not yet tried but am looking forward to giving them a try. I am an outdoors person and enjoy venison. Have you any experience sous vide venison?