If you have ever wondered how to cook frozen pork chops in the oven, you’re in the right place! We’ve all forgotten to thaw out meat the night before right?! Never fear–you can bake pork chops directly from the freezer! These flavorful pork chops can be made in three simple steps and they turn out wonderful every time!
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If you have ever forgotten to thaw your meat for dinner the night before, you are DEFINITELY not alone! But never fear! Cooking frozen pork chops in the oven is a lot easier than you think! Simply rub the frozen chops with a spice rub and bake!
While the pork chops are baking, throw together a quick side like a simple tossed salad, these amazing crack green beans, or these perfect mashed potatoes!
Need to cook other meats from frozen?! I got you covered! Try these amazing Frozen Burgers in the Oven or Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer! These recipes will SAVE you when you forget to defrost! 🙂
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- You can have a delicious dinner...even if you forget to thaw your meat!
- Great flavor from the dry rub/spice mixture!
- Perfect pork chops every time...tender, juicy and never dry!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these delicious oven-baked pork chops (from frozen!):
INGREDIENT NOTES
Pork Chops: I prefer using boneless pork chops that are between 1/2″ to 1″ thick because they cook up quickly, but bone-in chops work great, too. You will just need to adjust the baking time.
Spices: The spices included in this recipe are my go-to pork spice rub, but feel free to use your own rub or a premade pork rub.
HOW TO COOK FROZEN PORK CHOPS IN THE OVEN: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the printable recipe card below!
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil and spices for the rub. Pat down pork chops to ensure there is no excess water or ice on the surface.
Step 2: Rub both sides of each chop generously with the spice mixture.
Step 3: Place chops in a preheated oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 145°F. For thick chops (1″ or more), baking time is 30-40 minutes. For thinner chops, about 25-30 minutes.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Baking time will depend on the thickness of the chops. Here are the general guidelines but make sure the internal temperature of the chops reaches 145°F:
- 1″ thick pork chops, bake 30-40
- For 1/2″ chops, bake 25-30 minutes
- This recipe includes my go-to pork spice rub, but feel free to use your own rub or a premade rub such as this Smoke House Maple rub from McCormick.
⭐️ CONFIDENCE TIP ⭐️
Exact cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your pork chops. The easiest, foolproof way to check if chops are done is to use an instant read thermometer. Internal temperature should be 145°F for pork.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store leftover pork chops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (Food Safety.gov).
- Reheating: You can reheat pork chops in a pan over the stove. Add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth to keep them from drying out. Cover, and reheat over medium heat for a few minutes until the chops are heated through.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yep! It is 100% safe to bake frozen meat without defrosting, per the USDA Food Inspection and Safety department. They say it may take up to one and a half times longer to cook (Source: USDA).
It may take a bit longer, but cooking frozen pork chops is super easy! Just rub pork chops with a spice rub or dry rub and bake until the internal temperature of the chops reaches 145°F. Easy breezy!
I like serving these perfect baked pork chops with some of my favorite sides like Crack Green Beans, Cheesy Broccoli au Gratin, this Simple Pea Salad, Roasted Baby Carrots or this yummy Potato Salad!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Check out all of my kitchen essentials in my Amazon store!
Instant-Read Thermometer: Essential for checking internal temperature of the chops to see if they’re cooked through.
Baking Sheet: You can also use a baking dish like this one
Rate this recipe! I love your feedback!
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TRY THESE NEXT…
How to Bake Frozen Pork Chops in the Oven
Ingredients
- 3-4 boneless frozen pork chops (1/2" or 1" thick) See Note 1
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil avocado oil works well, too
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix oil with spices to form a paste.
- Prep Pork Chops: Pat pork chops down with a paper towel to remove any excess water, ice etc. If the frozen chops are too hard to remove from the package when they are frozen, soak the package in warm water for 5 minutes while you get the spice mix together. Then, rub each chop generously with the oil/spice mixture.
- Bake: Place pork chops on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and aluminum foil or parchment paper. If you don't have a wire baking rack, you can place the chops directly onto the foil/parchment paper. For 1" thick pork chops, bake 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature of the pork chops reach 145° when tested with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop. For 1/2" chops, bake 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Rest: Allow pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Steph says
Mixing the garlic with the brown sugar sounds good.
Tara says
Oh wow! I love how these pork chops can be cooked straight from the freezer. They look fantastic. Definitely perfect for busy weeknights.
Stephanie says
This is going to save me so much money. I forget almost every single day to take out the meat before I leave for work, and then we have to order takeout! I will definitely be printing this one out for future reference!
Tavo says
Great tips! My pork chops came out deliciously!
Ned says
This is a game changer! Thank you for such an awesome pork recipe! I always forget to thaw out my meat!
Kushigalu says
Love all the tips and tricks shared here on how to cook frozen chops. Thanks for sharing