Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops
These oven baked BBQ pork chops are seasoned with a sweet and smoky dry rub, baked at 400°F, then coated in barbecue sauce and finished under the broiler until the sauce becomes sticky, caramelized, and lightly charred.
I prefer pork chops around 1 inch thick because they stay juicy while giving the sauce enough time to caramelize without overcooking the meat. The chops bake on a wire rack so they stay above the pan juices, then I sauce and flip them under the broiler until they reach the final temperature.
How to Make Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops
- Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 400°F and place a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Season the pork chops. Mix together the brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Coat the pork chops generously on all sides with the seasoning.
- Bake until almost done. Place the pork chops on the wire rack and bake until they reach about 125–130°F internally. For pork chops around 1 inch thick, start checking them at about 15 minutes rather than relying only on the clock.
- Switch to broil. Turn the oven to broil, keeping the pan on the middle rack.
- Add the barbecue sauce. Brush a thick layer of barbecue sauce over the tops, sides, and edges of the pork chops. Broil for about 5 minutes, watching closely as the sugars begin to caramelize.
- Flip and sauce again. Turn the pork chops over, coat the second side with barbecue sauce, and broil for another 5 minutes.
- Check the temperature. Continue flipping and broiling in short intervals if needed until the pork reaches 145°F internally and the sauce is sticky, caramelized, and lightly charred.
- Rest before serving. Let the pork chops rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops
What to Serve with Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops
These sweet and smoky pork chops pair well with classic Southern comfort-food sides:
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese – Creamy, cheesy baked macaroni that works especially well with the sticky barbecue glaze.
- Smothered Green Beans – A savory vegetable side that balances the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes make an easy, filling side for the pork chops.
- Honey Cornbread – Soft, slightly sweet cornbread that fits naturally with the barbecue flavors.
More Pork Chop Recipes
- Smothered Pork Chops – Tender stovetop pork chops covered in rich, savory gravy.
- Brown Sugar Pork Chops – Pan-seared pork chops finished in a sweet and savory brown sugar glaze.
- Honey Mustard Pork Chops – An easy pork chop dinner with a sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce.
- Apple Butter Pork Chops – Pork chops coated in a sweet, cozy apple butter sauce.
- Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops – Pork chops with a savory Parmesan crust for another easy baked option.
Baked BBQ Pork Chops
Juicy pork chops seasoned with a sweet and smoky dry rub, baked at 400°F, then coated in barbecue sauce and broiled until sticky, caramelized, and lightly charred.
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Servings: 4 serving
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, normal or thick-cut
- Barbecue sauce to taste
Seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Mix together the brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper.
- Coat the pork chops generously on all sides with the seasoning mix, then place them on the wire rack.
- Bake until the pork chops are about 15–20°F below 145°F. For chops around 1 inch thick, begin checking the temperature at about 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil, leaving the pan on the middle rack.
- Brush barbecue sauce over the top, sides, and edges of the pork chops. Broil for about 5 minutes, watching closely.
- Flip the pork chops, coat the other side and edges with barbecue sauce, then broil for another 5 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature. If needed, continue flipping and broiling in short intervals until the pork reaches 145°F and the sauce is sticky, caramelized, and lightly charred.
- Rest the pork chops for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
A wire rack keeps the pork chops above the juices that collect in the pan, helping the seasoning and barbecue sauce stay on the meat.
Do not bake the pork chops all the way to 145°F before adding the sauce. Leaving them about 15–20°F below the final temperature gives them time to finish cooking while the barbecue sauce caramelizes under the broiler.
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