Learn how to cook Costco boneless pork top loin chops so they stay tender and juicy, including why brining matters and how using a thermometer ensures perfect results.
📋 What's New In This Post (1/28/26) - Added new instructions for brining and temping the meat as well as a table that describes the different types of pork chops at Costco.
I Got Pork Chops on My First Day
Want to know what one of the purchases I made my very first day with my Costco membership was? Pork loin chops. I saw this sale sign and I couldn't resist the deal:
Then I came upon this sign:
Save $3 off a package of top loin pork chops sounds pretty good to me considering the chops started at $2.79/lb. That coupon brought my package down to $10.31 or $2.16/lb.
Over the years now I have cooked these pork chops several different ways. I am here to share those with you and to help make sure you never have a dry pork chop again!
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What are Top Loin Chops?
To tackle how best to cook top loin chops, we need to have a full understanding of what they are. Here is a table of all the types of chops you can get at Costco:
| Cut | Bone or Boneless | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Loin Chops | Boneless | Lean, tender chops, from the center of the loin |
| Rib & Loin Chops | Bone-In | A mix of loin chops with the bone and rib chops which have more fat and flavor |
| Whole Pork Loin | Boneless | Entire back loin without the ribs; includes top loin and sirloin |
How to Cook Top Loin Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out?
So we know when we are cooking top loin chops, we are getting a lean pork chop with only some fat around the edge. There is little intramuscular fat, nothing like you get from a good ribeye steak. Because of this they can be easy to dry out if not cooked properly.
No matter if you cook them on a pan or cook them on the grill, there are two things that we need for optimal juiciness:
- Brine the pork chops before you cook them.
- Use a thermometer to track the temperature.
How to Brine Pork Chops
A brine begins with salt. I always use kosher salt for this. Allowing the pork to soak in a salty solution will add flavor to the inside of the meat, where as just salting the surface, only salts the surface of the meat. Your solution must taste salty but it won't make the meat too salty.
For liquid, you can use just water or chicken or vegetable stock. The stock will add more flavor than just water. If you don't have any on hand or don't want to spend the extra money to buy some or time to make your own, you can still have good results with just water.
I like to add some whole peppercorns, brown sugar, and whatever other herbs and spices I have on hand to add flavor.
Brine Instructions
- You need to dissolve the salt.
- Heat up your brine in a pot until the salt is dissolved and add some ice to it or allow it to completely cool before adding to your pork.
- I like to do this in a gallon sized plastic bag. Pour in the liquid and seal it up.
- I place the bag in another container just in case the bag leaks.
- Place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, no more than 4.
- Remove and pat dry when you are ready to cook.
How to Know When Your Pork Chops Are Done?
Besides the brine, the next key to great pork chops is cooking them until they are done. Did you know that pork chops can still be slightly pink in the center and still be safe to eat? Pork needs to be cooked until it is 145 degrees. At that stage it is often still pink in the very center. If that bothers you can cook it to 155 degrees, that should take care of any pink. If you brined your pork, it will still be moist.
I use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of my pork chops. I suggested this is something that you invest your money in and get the top of the line of. I use mine pretty much everyday so I get my money's worth. The Thermapen® ONE from ThermoWorks actually reads out in 1 second, so you immediately get your reading. This is especially important when you are grilling and it is really easy to overshoot your target temperature.
Whenever you are temping pork chops you want your probe to be reading the very center of the meat. Careful you don't poke it all the way through, then you are reading air.
What are the Best Cooking Methods?
Pan frying and grilling are the two most common. With grilling you are in a harder to control and predict heating environment. It is very easy to dry out grilled pork chops. That is where brining becomes your insurance policy. It gets you some room to work with in case you do overshoot your final temperature. Brined pork is still juicy longer past its optimal temperature.
Check out my recipe for 🍴 Brined + Grilled Pork Chops recipe
You can also bake the pork chops. This I think is best done if you are going to bread them. Why? The breading will work as an insulator, so the pork won't dry out. Plus we all know that breaded meat tastes good, just look at all the fast food fried chicken resturants out there. I don't know of a fried pork restaurant - maybe that's the next craze!
I have a recipe for breaded pork chops with a Panko/Ramen noodle breading. Super crispy! 🍴 Panko + Ramen Breaded Pork Chops recipe
Cut Your Own Loin Chops
It's not hard to cut up your own pork chops. If you find that the whole pork loin is at a better price at Costco, then feel free to buy it and slice it with a sharp knife. I have an entire post dedicated to How to Cut a Whole Boneless Pork Loin into Chops.
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