These Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Chops are juicy, tender, and coated in a thick, sticky barbecue glaze. They're baked entirely in the oven, making them an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.
My baked pork chops recipe has been a staple in our house for years, but I wanted a version with bold barbecue flavor that didn't require firing up the grill. After plenty of testing, this recipe became the winner. A sweet and smoky pork chop seasoning, two layers of barbecue sauce (a technique borrowed from my favorite meatloaf glaze recipe), and a quick finish under the broiler creates juicy chops with a thick, sticky, caramelized glaze every time. They're sweet, savory, and most importantly, juicy.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Juicy and Tender Every Time | This recipe is designed to keep your chops juicy and tender with the perfect bake time, a flavorful spice rub, and two layers of barbecue sauce.
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes | Everybody could use a few more quick-fix dinners in their back pocket. With less than 10 minutes of prep, these BBQ pork chops are an easy weeknight win.
- Made With Pantry Staples | Chances are, everything you need is already in your pantry. Grab your favorite barbecue sauce, a handful of spices, and a pack of pork chops, and dinner is practically done.
- No Grill Required | Get all the sweet, smoky barbecue flavor you crave without stepping outside. Everything cooks right in the oven, making this recipe perfect for any time of year.
Ingredients
Pork Chops | I recommend using ¾-inch bone-in rib pork chops for this recipe. Their marbling and bone help to keep them juicy while the barbecue sauce caramelizes under the broiler. If you're using thicker or thinner chops, be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. We've included a cook time chart for you below.
Oil | A light coating of a neutral oil, like avocado or canola, helps the spice rub to adhere to the chops and promotes better browning.
Spice Rub | This BBQ pork chop spice rub was developed with our beloved rib rub in mind. It's a versatile blend we use on all kinds of pork recipes regardless of their cooking method, including our crockpot pork ribs and oven-baked spare ribs just to name a few. The rub is a simple blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Kosher salt, and black pepper and it creates the perfect balance of sweet, and smoky flavors to complement the natural flavors of pork.
Barbecue Sauce | Use thick barbecue sauce you already know and love. Sweeter sauce caramelizes best under the broiler, creating the sticky barbecue glaze that makes this recipe so good. A homemade barbecue sauce would work well here too.
The Best Pork Chops for Baking
I recommend ¾-inch bone-in rib pork chops for this recipe, the same cut we use for our smoked pork chops. This cut is right for just about any method of cooking, but works especially well for BBQ pork chops. It is thick enough to stay juicy while the barbecue sauce caramelizes under the broiler, yet thin enough to cook in less than 20 minutes. It is a true 30-minute dinner. Yes, please.
Bone-in rib chops are my favorite because the bone helps them to cook more gently, while their marbling delivers:
- More flavor
- More tenderness
- Less risk of drying out
While other cuts of pork chops can be substituted in this recipe, bone-in rib chops consistently produce the juiciest, most flavorful results.
Can I Use Pork Loin Chops?
If all you have are boneless pork loin chops (often sold as center-cut pork chops), this recipe will still work.
Because boneless loin chops are leaner than bone-in rib chops, they're also easier to overcook so you'll want to start checking them for doneness a few minutes early. The barbecue sauce helps lock in moisture, but keeping a close-eye on the cooking time is key to juicy pork chops.
And if you're looking for more recipes guaranteed to lock in moisture to pork loin chops, you'll love our smothered pork chops and pork chops with mushroom gravy.
How to Make BBQ Pork Chops in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F and have ready a rimmed baking sheet. While the oven is preheating, prepare the rub and the pork chops.
Place the pork chops on a work surface and pat them dry with paper towels. Drizzle with oil and rub all over both sides to adhere.
In a small bowl, prepare the rub by mixing together the brown sugar and spices. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the pork chops, gently pressing it into the meat to help it adhere.
Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the pork chops from the oven and spoon half of the barbecue sauce over the tops, spreading it all the way to the edges. Return to the oven to bake for 4-6 more minutes, or the pork chops register between 140-143°F at the thickest part.
Remove the pork chops from the oven once more and spoon over the remaining barbecue sauce.
Return the pork chops to the oven and switch the oven to the LOW BROIL setting. Keep a close eye on the pork chops and do not walk away. Staying present with the pork chops at this point in the recipe is very important. The broiler is what creates the thick, sticky, caramelized barbecue glaze, but because barbecue sauce contains sugar, it can burn quickly.
As soon as the barbecue sauce is bubbling all the way across the top (not just around the edges), remove from the oven. This usually takes 1-3 minutes, depending on your oven.
Allow the pork chops about 5-10 minutes to rest so the juices can redistribute throughout the meat. Serve and enjoy.
How Long to Bake BBQ Pork Chops
The exact timing depends on the thickness of your pork chops, but for a ¾-inch bone-in rib chop, you'll cook for a total of 16-18 minutes at 400°F. Always start checking thinner chops early, as they will cook faster than thicker ones.
If you are baking your pork chops at 400°F, you can use the following thickness and times as a guide:
- ½-inch: 10-12 minutes
- ¾-inch: 16-18 minutes
- 1-inch: 18-22 minutes
- 1-¼ inch: 22-25 minutes
Oven temperatures vary, and so do pork chops. Thickness has a much bigger impact on cooking time than the specific cut, so use these times as a guide and adjust as needed.
What Temperature Should BBQ Pork Chops Be?
The USDA recommends cooking pork chops to 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
For the juiciest results, I remove mine when they reach between 140-143°F in the thickest part. As they rest, carryover cooking (the rise in temperature that happens after meat is removed from heat) brings them to the USDA-recommended 145°F while helping the juices stay inside of the meat instead of running onto your plate.
If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, that's okay. The pork chops should no longer look translucent in the center, and the juices should run clear when pierced with a fork or knife. Visual cues aren't always as reliable as temperature, so I always recommend an instant-read thermometer.
Tips for Juicy BBQ Pork Chops
- Choose Bone-In Rib Chops | Their marbling and the bone make them more forgiving in the oven and help produce the juiciest results.
- Use a Thicker Barbecue Sauce | Thick, sweet barbecue sauces cling to the pork chops better and create the best glaze under the broiler.
- Don't Add the Barbecue Sauce Too Early | Since barbecue sauce contains sugar, it can burn before the pork chops finish cooking. Wait until the pork chops are nearly done to before spooning over the sauce.
- Don't Skip the Broiler | That final minute or two under the broiler is what transforms the sauce into a thick, sticky, sweet glaze.
- Watch the Broiler Closely | Every broiler cooks different and sugary sauces can go from perfectly caramelized to burn in less than a minute. Keep your eyes on the oven when using the broiler.
- Let the Pork Chops Rest | Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, locking in moisture and keeping your BBQ pork chops moist and tender.
What to Serve with BBQ Pork Chops
There's not much that doesn't pair well with BBQ pork chops. If you're leaning into backyard barbecue flavors, serve them with classics like baked beans, creamed corn, and potato salad.
For an easy weeknight dinner, keep it simple with cornbread, shells and cheese, mashed potatoes, a crisp house salad, or roasted veggies.
No matter which direction you go, these sweet, smoky pork chops pair well with just about any comfort food side dish.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover BBQ pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the pork chops in a baking dish covered loosely with foil and warm in a 300°F oven until heated through (about 10-15 minutes). You can also microwave them at 30-second intervals until warmed to your liking if you need a faster route for reheating.
Pro Tip: Brush on a little sauce before reheating to freshen up the glaze and add moisture back to the pork chops.
FAQs
Absolutely. In fact, searing them first would likely lead to over cooking. This recipe is designed to cook them entirely in the oven, which means less mess and fewer dishes.
Wait until the pork chops are almost finished cooking to add the barbecue sauce. Because barbecue sauce is often high in sugar, it can burn if added too early.
The most common culprit for dry pork chops is over cooking. Use an instant-read thermometer and remove the pork chops from the oven when they reach between 140-143°F. As they rest, carryover cooking will bring them to the USDA-recommended 145°F.
Yes! Boneless pork loin chops will work in this recipe. However, because they are leaner than bone-in rib chops, they cook more quickly and can dry out more easily. Start checking the internal temperature a few minutes early, and be careful not to overcook them. For foolproof juicy BBQ pork chops made with pork loin chops, try our easy pork chop brine.
Baked BBQ Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops about ¾-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet or line it with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Drizzle with the oil and rub it evenly over both sides of each pork chop.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, Kosher salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the pork chops, gently pressing it into the meat to help it adhere.
- Arrange the pork chops on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove the pork chops from the oven and spoon about half of the barbecue sauce over the tops, spreading it all the way to the edges. Return to the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the pork chops register 140°–143°F in the thickest part.
- Remove the pork chops from the oven again and spoon the remaining barbecue sauce over the tops.
- Switch the oven to LOW BROIL and return the pork chops to the oven. Broil for 1 to 3 minutes, watching carefully, until the barbecue sauce is bubbling across the entire surface and has formed a sticky, caramelized glaze.
- Remove from the oven and allow the pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Their internal temperature will continue to rise as they rest.
Notes
- Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Begin checking the internal temperature early if they're thinner than ¾-inch.
- The final broil creates the signature thick, sticky barbecue glaze. Stay nearby and watch closely, as the sugars in the sauce can burn quickly.
- Use your favorite barbecue sauce. A thicker, sweeter sauce creates the richest glaze.
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