What to Make with Leftover Pork Chops: 26 Recipes That Taste Totally Gourmet (2024)

food

By Katherine Gillen

•

Published Aug 1, 2023

Additional reporting by

Taryn Pire

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Oh, leftovers. They’re the secret to putting together easy, economical dinners in almost no time. But pork chops can be tricky to repurpose or use up. While we’re not above slapping a few slices on sandwich bread with a little mayo and calling it a day—we can all do better than that. Presenting 26 leftover pork chop recipes to clean out your refrigerator (that still taste totally gourmet).

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ERIC WOLFINGER/THE MEXICAN KETO COOKBOOK

1. Cast-Iron Pork Chops with Cacao-Spiced Rub

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly

The trick to these melt-in-your-mouth chops? Salting them 45 minutes before cooking and letting them come to room temperature. Make double of the spice rub to use on steak, salmon, ribs or chicken thighs.

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Tyler Kenny/On the Line

2. Pork Milanese with Cucumber Yogurt

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

A few pantry staples transform a modest boneless pork chop into something totally Insta-worthy. Fresh garlic and dill (stems included) infuse the yogurt dip with a ridiculous amount of flavor.

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3. Lemongrass Pork Chops with Carb-Free Yakisoba

Time Commitment: 8 hours and 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein

Yes, you'll need to marinate the pork chops in a savory mix of ginger, lime juice, honey and fish sauce for eight hours—but we promise it's worth the wait. This allows the acidic ingredients to tenderize the pork as it soaks.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

As long as you slice your pork chops as thinly as possible, this classy comfort dish is within reach. Serve with mashed potatoes, white rice or arugula salad.

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Erin McDowell

5. Herb-Crusted Pork Cutlets

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

The thinner you slice the pork chops, the crispier they'll turn out. The panko coating is spiked with your choice of fresh herbs (we're partial to a mix of thyme, rosemary, tarragon, sage and oregano).

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

This recipe calls for pork tenderloin, but you could swap in cubes of leftover pork chop for a similar effect. Cook it on the barbecue if the weather allows and on a grill pan if you're cooking indoors—you don't want to miss out on those char marks.

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Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...

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Taryn Pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...

read full bio

What to Make with Leftover Pork Chops: 26 Recipes That Taste Totally Gourmet (2024)

FAQs

What to do with leftover dry pork chops? ›

Bake your pork chops in liquid or fat

Find your baking dish of choice, such as a glass baking dish or a casserole dish, and lay your pork chops inside of it as close as you can. Then, add your choice of liquid– this could be anything from leftover bacon fat, gravy, or simple store-bought stock.

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How to make leftover pork chops juicy? ›

What if my leftover pork chops are already dry? Occasionally I overcook a pork chop and not even this oven method can revive it for leftovers. In this instance, slicing the chop very thinly and pan cooking it with some fat (either butter or olive oil) and a flavorful liquid (think: broth or soy sauce) is my best bet.

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How long are leftover cooked pork chops good for? ›

USDA recommends using cooked pork within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40 °F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.

How to make leftover pork juicy? ›

Using the oven: Start by preheating your oven to a low heat. Then, place your pork in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of broth or sauce to keep it moist and cover it with foil. Finally, reheat until it reaches your desired temperature — taking care to check periodically, so you avoid overcooking.

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How do you reheat pork chops so they are tender? ›

Cook covered or wrapped in foil at 250-300°F oven temp, or on low heat on the stovetop or in a slow cooker with liquid like broth or sauce. Bring the internal temperature up to 140°F. Check often to avoid overshooting. The slower reheating gives time for the collagen in the meat to transform into moisture-rich gelatin.

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What can I do with leftover overcooked pork? ›

A simple fix for overcooked meat is to dump it in your food processor with some olive oil, purée it, and use it as a stuffing for everything from hand pies and empanadas to dumplings and ravioli.

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What is the secret to juicy pork chops? ›

Fat is key to keeping pork chops moist

Basting them with fat, such as butter. Add in aromatics while basting for more flavor — similar to how you might cook a steak — and then you have the added bonus of browned butter and crispy garlic and/or herbs to serve with the meat.

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Why do you soak pork chops in salt water? ›

It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

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Why do you rinse pork chops? ›

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.

Can I eat pork 7 days after sell by date? ›

In general, consumers have one to three days to use that meat product if it is fresh before there would be concern from a safety standpoint. Typically retailers will mark down the price of a product if the sell by date is near.