Name: Toaster-Oven Roasted Bone-In Pork Chop
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 (12-ounce) bone-in pork rib or center-cut chop , 1½ inches thick; ½ teaspoon vegetable oil; ¼ teaspoon table salt; ⅛ teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

A juicy pork chop (not a chewy, tough one) with a burnished crust is surely one of those great culinary feats, but not one you typically associate with your toaster oven. We wanted to master a classic roasted bone-in pork chop recipe and be able to produce as many as four in our countertop oven. The hot air of the toaster oven, when compared to the scorching-hot metal of a skillet or the flames of a grill, is a poor conductor of heat —but this worked in our favor here, allowing us to roast our chop to an ideal juicy doneness in the center before the exterior overcooked. Say goodbye to tough chops.

Before You Begin

This recipe is written to serve one but can be easily scaled to serve up to four people. To enhance the flavor of the pork, consider sprinkling it with up to 2 teaspoons of one of our homemade spice blends or your favorite store-bought rub along with the salt and pepper in step 1. (Depending on the level of salt in a store-bought rub, you may need to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.)

Instructions

Adjust toaster oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chop dry with paper towels and cut 2 slits, about 2 inches apart, through fat on edges of each pork chop. Rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange chop on small rimmed baking sheet and roast until pork registers 145 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping chop halfway through roasting. Let chop rest for 5 minutes before serving.