Stop Buying Individual Pork Chops: This Cheaper Alternative Will Stretch Your Budget Further

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For a lot of people, pork chops are a not-sure-what-else-to-cook kind of weeknight dinner. Season them, throw them in the air fryer for 20 minutes, and dinner's on the table with barely any cleanup. They're quick, they're reliable, they don't require much effort on a Tuesday — and they're supposed to be cheap, too. But are they? Hate to be the one to say it, but if you've been buying pre-packaged cuts at the meat counter, you might be spending more than you need to. The cheaper trick is to buy a whole section of pork loin instead and slice it into chops at home.

Individually cut, boneless center-cut chops routinely run $6 to $7 a pound at major retailers. Walmart has a pack of four for $8.32 ($7.17 a pound). Amazon offers them at $7.38 for a six-pack of thinly-sliced chops weighing in at a pound. Not bad compared to beef, but let's look at a whole pork loin — the same cut before anyone slices it into chops: Walmart sells a 2-piece, boneless whole tenderloin for $4.16 a pound, and Amazon sells one for $3.95 a pound. Basically, you can get the same cut for half the price of the chops. Sometimes, you can get it for $3 or less at warehouses like Costco.

The price difference comes from the labor factored in. By buying the whole roast and slicing your own chops at home, you're basically just buying the meat, sans the butcher's handiwork. A sharp knife and about 10 minutes turns one loin into six or eight chops, cut exactly as thick as you want them, with the trimmings saved for stir-fry strips or diced up for a stew.

Once you've broken the loin down into chops (either with or without bones, depending on the cut you bought), let's talk about sides. The thing about pork is that it's fairly mildly-flavored. Alone, it can get old fast. But combined with other dishes, you've got a brilliant launchpad for a feast. Pork chops will take well to tangy sauces such as mustard. Even a simple pan sauce stirred up from the fond at the bottom of the skillet will taste amazing together with your chops.

You can also make a base for the chops to sit on when you serve up. Something starchy like roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips, or just a few scoops of mashed Yukon golds will work wonders. For those who like pork chops a bit fruity or sweet, saute apple slices with a little butter and cinnamon to contrast the savoriness of the meat and balance a chop coated in a savory rub.

Since chops are already fairly heavy, for the sides, a light summery salad with a sharp vinegary dressing will complete the meal by acting as a counterpoint to the fatty cut. You can also saute some of the greens to bring textural contrast. If you want to stretch the loin further, the trimmed pieces from butchering it yourself are perfect for a quick stir-fry with soy sauce and garlic sprinkled on top of your salad. That's another advantage of buying the whole cut: On that one loin alone, you get chops for dinner tonight and scraps for a second meal later in the week.