Easy Oven-Barbecued Pork Chops

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 06/27/19
BBQ pork chops
Diana Rattray
Prep: 3 hrs 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
441 Calories
23g Fat
12g Carbs
44g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 441
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Sodium 326mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 44g
Calcium 88mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pork chops are often a go-to recipe, as they are easy to prepare. But they can also easily become overcooked, dry, and tough. This oven-barbecued pork chop recipe, however, turns out tender and moist chops that are cooked in a flavorful sauce. In addition, the recipe is easy to prepare and makes a tasty everyday family meal. The pork chops are baked with a simple homemade barbecue sauce, which will reduce and thicken as it cooks. It's an excellent alternative to grilled chops on a rainy day. Serve these flavorful pork chops with coleslaw, beans, and roasted potatoes.

If you're pressed for time or don't have all of the ingredients, feel free to use a purchased barbecue sauce instead of the homemade sauce mixture.

Ingredients

  • For the Chops:
  • 6 center-cut loin pork chops, 3/4 to 1-inch thick
  • 1 medium onion (halved and thinly sliced)
  • For the Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.

  2. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the foil-lined pan and scatter the onion slices over the chops. 

  3. To make the barbecue sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour the sauce over the pork chops.

  4. Bake the pork chops, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender.

  5. Transfer the pork chops to a platter and spoon the sauce over them.

Recipe Variations

  • This is the type of recipe that takes well to additional and alternate ingredients. If you like a smoky flavor, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the sauce mixture. You can also replace the ketchup with 1/2 cup of store-bought barbecue sauce, or substitute the brown sugar with honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup. Using a mild beer for the barbecue sauce will add an interesting depth of flavor. To add more texture and some color, slice 1 green bell pepper into strips and scatter over the chops along with the onions.
  • If you and the family enjoyed this recipe it may be worth trying a few similar ones. Herb and garlic pork chops combine pork chops with fresh garlic and parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Another time-saving baked pork chop recipe is saucy baked pork chops with ranch sauce where ranch dressing mix and mustard add a delicious flavor. If you have some extra time, oven-barbecued pork chops with homemade sauce call for marinating the pork chops for about 4 hours before baking until fork-tender.