Pork Chops
intro
Tender, golden-crusted bone-in pork chops seared to lock in juices, finished with fragrant garlic herb butter for a simple, satisfying, flavor-packed weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Season the pork chops
Pat 4 bone-in pork chops completely dry on all sides with paper towels to ensure a crisp sear. Mix 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl, then rub the seasoning evenly over every surface of the chops, including the fat edges. Let seasoned chops rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to promote even cooking.
Preheat the skillet
Place a heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless steel skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) of high-smoke-point olive oil to the pan, and heat for 3 minutes until the oil is shimmering and just releasing thin, wispy trails of smoke. Do not let the oil darken or burn, as this will create a bitter flavor.
Sear the first side
Carefully lay the seasoned pork chops in the hot pan in a single layer, working in 2 batches if your pan is too small to avoid overcrowding. Sear the first side without moving, lifting, or prodding the chops for 4 full minutes, until a deep, golden-brown crisp crust forms across the entire contact surface.
Sear and baste chops
Use metal tongs to flip each chop to the second side, then immediately add 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, 4 crushed unpeeled garlic cloves, 4 thyme sprigs, and 1 rosemary sprig to the pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, tilting the pan slightly every 30 seconds to spoon the bubbling herb-infused butter over the top of the chops.
Check internal temp
Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of each chop, making sure the probe does not touch the bone (which will give an inaccurate high reading). Cook until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F) for juicy, medium doneness, adding 1 minute of cook time as needed, continuing to baste with butter the entire time. Total cook time for 1.5-inch thick chops is typically 7-8 minutes.
Rest and serve
Transfer the cooked pork chops to a warm serving platter, and spoon all the remaining garlic herb butter and aromatics from the pan over the top. Let the chops rest for 5 full minutes before slicing or serving to allow muscle fibers to relax and redistribute juices, preventing dry meat.
Tips
2.Do not skip the 5-minute rest period after cooking; cutting into pork chops immediately will cause all the hot, flavorful juices to run out onto the plate, leaving the meat dry and tough.
3.For an extra classic fall flavor boost, add 60g of thinly sliced sweet apple to the pan during the final 2 minutes of cooking, letting it soften in the herb butter to serve alongside the chops.
OMG these were SO good! I threw these together on a random weeknight when I forgot to plan dinner, and my kids literally asked for seconds before they even finished their first helping. The sear was perfect and they stayed juicy the whole time—total game changer for our family dinner rotation!
I’ve messed up so many pan-seared pork chops over the years—they always come out tough and dry no matter what I tried. This recipe? Game. Changer. Got a perfect golden crust, the meat was juicy all the way to the bone, and my roommate said it tasted like something from a fancy steakhouse. 10/10 will make every other week now.
Super easy recipe for a weeknight in my tiny apartment kitchen! I didn’t have any fancy seasonings so I just used salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, and it still turned out really good. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I slightly overcooked the first one because I got distracted by my roommate’s video game, oops. Next time I’ll set a timer!
Made these for my Sunday potluck with the church group and everyone was asking for the recipe! I added a little apple butter glaze on top at the end like I used to do for my kids when they were little, and it paired perfectly. So juicy, no dry bites at all—even my picky grandson ate a whole chop!
Cooked these up after a long day on the trails with the family, and they hit so hard. Only took 30 minutes total which was perfect because we were all starving the second we walked in the door. The crust was crispy, the meat was juicy, we served it with roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes and everyone cleaned their plates.
Added a pinch of cayenne and a drizzle of hot honey at the end, and wow. Perfect balance of savory, sweet, and heat. I was worried the bone-in chop would be a pain to cook in my small nonstick pan but it fit perfectly and seared evenly. 100% making this for my next date night in.
I’m still learning to cook for my husband and I, and this was the first pork chop recipe I didn’t completely mess up! I was so nervous I’d overcook them, but following the cook time exactly worked perfectly. My husband said it was the best meal I’ve made so far, I felt so proud!
Great recipe! These held up really well for my weekly meal prep, stayed juicy even when I reheated them in the office microwave for lunch. The only thing I’ll adjust next time is lowering the heat a little on my stovetop, because the seasoning smoked a bit more than I liked when I seared them. Still super tasty though!
Served these with my classic collard greens and cornbread for Sunday dinner, and my whole family raved. I’ve always fried my pork chops in a bunch of oil, but this pan-sear method uses way less fat and still gives that crispy outside I love. Why didn’t I try this sooner?!
Made these last night and even my pup was begging for a bite (don’t worry, I gave him a tiny plain piece after it cooled down). Perfectly juicy, no weird fancy ingredients needed, cook time was exactly 30 minutes like the recipe said. Zero notes, will be in regular rotation.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I have celiac so I’m always looking for easy weeknight meals that don’t require a ton of weird substitute ingredients. I served these with roasted sweet potatoes and a side salad, and it was such a satisfying, easy dinner after a long work day.
I just moved into my first apartment and this was the first real meal I cooked in my new kitchen! I was so scared I’d mess it up, but the instructions were super straightforward and the chops came out juicy and perfectly seared. My roommate thought I ordered takeout, lmao. Win!
Really solid pan-seared pork chop recipe! I usually do these on the smoker, but it was pouring rain all weekend so I gave this stovetop method a shot. Got a great maillard crust, the meat was juicy, I just added a little extra bbq rub to match my usual flavor profile. Definitely a great backup method for bad weather days.