The longer duration does not depend upon the tenderness of the meat. The meat gets harder if you cook it for a long time as it loses its juices and natural flavour. The flesh is soft, juicy, and slightly pink when cooked to 145°F. And, yeah, a little pink is OK! Because not all pork chops are the same thickness, determining the cooking time can be difficult. Thinner chops will cook faster and benefit from a shorter cooking time, while larger chops will take longer.