Tough Pork Chops Are Everywhere

... and the only way to make sure you don't end up with them is to buy the cheapest ones.

I made Creamy Angel Pork Chop Skillet last night and in so doing, I broke a vow I re-make every time I break it. (That makes sense, you just have to think about it.)

Costco only carries the standard, somewhat-high-end pork chops. Giving in to the sin of sloth, I bought them there instead of making an extra stop at our local market to get the really cheap ones. The "good" chops almost invariably end up tough after cooking. They don't have enough fat to stay moist and tender. The only pork chops worth buying are the ultra-cheap blade cut chops, aka shoulder chops, which look like someone threw leftover pork at a bandsaw from 30' away.

Mmm, bone fragments embedded in the meat!

Never, never, never use anything but blade chops. Never. Mary's recipe was excellent, as usual, but the chops were almost inedible. It was like chewing on tree bark. Unless you time them perfectly and leave the middle pink, they dry out even when immersed in a cream cheese and chicken broth slurry! Madness!

Meanwhile, if you use blade chops, you can abuse them almost any way you please and they'll come out tender and delicious.

OK, this time I'm serious. I vow to never again buy any pork chops except the blade chops.

Hey, stop laughing!