Best Sous Vide Pork Chops – 5 Ways

Say goodbye to tough and flavorless pork chops! These perfect Sous Vide Pork Chops are super tender, juicy, and full of flavor! The sous vide 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!

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 low-stress cooking by eliminating short windows of time for perfect doneness.
• You can easily customize the recipe with your favorite seasonings or sauces.

Try this once, and you will never go back to the old way! It’s perfect for making ahead of time and great for meal prep.

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, 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 evenly cook the meat or fish.

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.

How To Cook Pork Chops Sous Vide

1. 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).

2. Rub the pork chops with oil and season on both sides with coarse salt and ground black pepper.

3. 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.

4. 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. But if you want to have some extra flavor, you can sous vide cook the meat with the sauce.
• 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 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 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.

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

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Asparagus

What’s The Best Cut To Use 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.

Can You Sous Vide Frozen Pork Chops?

Yes, you can sous vide pork chops straight from frozen. Follow the same instruction and add 30 more minutes to the cooking time.

More Sous Vide Recipes

• Sous Vide Carnitas
• Sous Vide Pork Shoulder
• Sous Vide Chicken Thighs
• Sous Vide Sirloin Steak

FAQs

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 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 Leave My Pork Chops in The Sous Vide Water Bath 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!