Don't be fooled: not all pork chops are alike. While one may be tender and only need a quick sear, others can be tough and require a good long braise. Why? Even though pork chops are all cut from the loin, there are actually four distinct cuts. Working your way from front to back, you can find the shoulder chops, rib chops, loin chops and sirloin chops. Shoulder and sirloin chops are both superflavorful but have a lot of bone and connective tissue throughout the meat, so it's best to braise them. Rib and loin chops are lean, so you should cook them both quickly. Food & Wine has plenty of recipes, no matter which cut ends up in your shopping cart.
