Cook them hot and fast in a cast iron skillet.

I think Fawnridge's suggestion is a good one for your recipe.

Pork chops get dry when overcooked. Because your recipe apparently is finishing the cooking by simmering in the sauce, you want to avoid cooking the chops too much in the searing stage. Hot and fast gets them browned on the surfaces without cooking them all the way through. if you brown them slower, they cook through and then can overcook during the simmering stage.

Another suggestion: have you tried brining the chops? That really helps to prevent overcooking. Think of it as insurance against overcooking.

Next question: thin or thick chops? Thicker needs a longer brine. Thin chops (½" thick, say) -- maybe 20 min, maybe half hour in the brine. Thicker chops will take longer -- maybe an hour or so for inch thick ones. Dry the surfaces with paper towels. Or a blow dyer if so inclined. (Dry surface will brown faster and won't throw as much spatter.)

Whether you've brined or not, there will be some trial and error in figuring doneness but an instant read thermometer can help there. I'm talking about the kind like the Thermapens that read from the tip and do not require much insertion depth (a big deal when your chops are thin, eh?) If you don't want to buy one, borrow one and use it as a learning tool to get a feel for recognizing how done chops are.

Basically, when making recipes like your mother's, I aim to get chop exteriors browned while the interiors are still reading in the range of 135°F or so. Then the chops/cutlets/filets go in the simmering sauce until the centers read 145° or so. Serve them right away with the sauce. There will be some carry-over heating, but it probably won't go over 150°F. IME. thinner pork chops start drying out pretty seriously when cooked over 150°F.

Good luck. I agree that chops get dry when overcooked, and it's easy to overcook them in not too much time. That's one of the reasons I don't really care for pork chops. Today's pork is extremely lean and chops just can't take any extra time in the pan.

The Department of Agriculture lowered the "safe temperature" for pork several years ago, now the guideline says 145F is sufficient. That's still a little pink, so don't let that put you off.

Brining can help, as has been mentioned, but the most helpful is to be very diligent and don't overcook them. I did have good luck last night by wrapping seasoned chops in a foil packet and baking them, they stayed moist and I was surprised.

Annie

no doubt about it... you need to buy Berkshire chops from the link that follows. These chops are tender, moist and full of flavor like I used to get when i was a young kid. The fat on them is delicious.

http://www.dartagnan.com/

perfect chops every time... I normally buy the milanese chops, yes, a bit more expensive than others but well worth it.

I make pork chops occasionally and do the hot and fast method but use a stainless steel pan or non stick. They are always juicy. Make the sauce separately and/or in the pan after the chops are removed to a plate.

Dry pork chops are over cooked chops.

I always brine pork chops and chicken breasts in salt water. No more dry meat since I learned about brining. One hour will do.

Thanks, all. I cooked them just til brown, then removed them to a
plate, while the sauce finished in a separate pan (not the same recipe as my
Mom’s). I cut into them, and they were already done. I would have liked them
more brown, but I resisted the urge. Then when the sauce was done I put them
into it to warm up. I timed the browning, and made a note on the recipe; maybe
even less next time.

They
were ¾” thick. I might buy thicker next time if I can find them. Because they
were bone-in, less meat surface touched the pan. Though maybe I could have
trimmed the bone off before cooking, but then it would not have been a “fast
and easy” dinner by myself. After a day of gardening til it was too dark to see
outside, this was very fast.

I do have a new Thermapen (post-Christmas gift to myself, that I have not tried out yet), but since it was just me, I simply cut into them to see if they were done. If I buy the thicker ones or are serving someone else, I'll use it.

Paul, I raise my own pork, and my own grass fed beef too and free range chicken too.

My current pork was raised by a neighbor, since my husband had a knee replaced last year and we didn't raise pigs. I have lots of pork fat in the freezer, waiting to be rendered into lard and the bacon still needs smoking.

Even raising our own, the chops are dry if overcooked, that's why I was surprised by the ones I baked, I was afraid they had gone too long.

Annie

If you sprinkle some kind of seasoning mix that has sugar in the mix, it will make them more brown but won't make them sweet. The sugar won't burn because you are cooking so quickly. Or you can use butter. I like Penzeys Northwoods as a generic all purpose seasoning for that kind of thing.

Another good way,

Lightly brown them and place each on on a sheet of foil. Cook some mushrooms and anything else you like : onion, thyme, garlic....... spoon this into the chops. Then add a spoonful of cream / creme fraîche over, close the foil and bake in the oven for 30 mins. The sauce makes itself!

Pork is so lean so less tenderizing fats. Quick searing and use that Thermapen. : )

Or long and slow braising will give a tender result. Marcella Hazan has some good braising recipes. One good recipe she uses milk and it separates cooking down where the separated solids, curd, caramelize. Looks odd but delicious.

For a nice seared bone-in chop, go with thick so you can get a nice crust without the inevitable over-cooking.

(....the one and only reason i purchased sous vide when the price came down...amazing for pork chops)

I tried a recipe from my pressure cooker cookbook for pork chops and absolutely love the way they turn out--so moist and tender.

The newer Joy of Cooking which I had given my daughter 10 years ago changed how to cook pork chops, and now I like them again. Hot and fast, 4 minutes a side for 1" thick chops, if I remember correctly. The middle should be lightly pink.

I know this won't be a popular. Choice for many, but I buy nice pork shoulder steaks when I can find them. They tend to be more marbelled and stay really juicy and tendered.

I'll second those pork shoulder steaks. If you can find them cut thin - no more than 1/2" thick - you can cook them in a hot skillet with bacon grease, onions, and some jerk rub. 3 or 4 minutes per side once the onions are almost done.

I've had good luck with pork chops ever since I found a method somewhere online that said the secret was to cover them and never peek. I think it was ten minutes on each side, (or 8 for thin ones) but the key is covering them and not turning or anything in between sides. I think moving them around and flipping, whatever, increases the likelihood of dryness.