This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Learn how to make Perfect Pork Chops with our easy recipe. You’ll never cook pork chops any other way once you try our fool-proof method.
I used to avoid cooking pork chops – not because I didn’t like the taste of them, but because I could never cook them very well.
Most of the time my pork chops came out dry and tasteless, so rather than disappointing myself or my dinner guests, I steered clear of pork entirely. Then, Jack taught me how to cook Perfect Pork Chops that come out perfectly every time.
This really is the best way to cook pork chops! After a quick sear on both sides in a cast iron skillet, move the pork chops to a rack lined sheet pan and into the hot oven to finish cooking. This simple technique is a trick of the restaurant trade, and it works just as well at home in your own kitchen.
Chef’s Tip – Every home cook should invest in a probe thermometer like this. The absolute best way to tell when meat or poultry is cooked through is by measuring the internal temperature, not relying on cooking time, or cutting into the meat to check (all of the juices will start running out).
Why You’ll Love This Perfect Pork Chops Recipe
- It’s fool-proof! Just follow our easy steps in the recipe below.
- After just ten minutes of hands-on prep, your oven does the rest of the work – so this is an easy dinner recipe for any day of the week.
- The flavors are simply delicious and your chops will come out tender, juicy, and perfectly-cooked through.
Key ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork Chops – Chose bone-in, center cut thick chops 1 ½ to 2-inches thick. You can find these in a supermarket or head to your local butcher for the freshly-cut chops of the best quality.
- Pantry Ingredients – Just use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season your pork chops, and a little vegetable oil to fry them in. (Choose a neutral oil with a higher smoke point.)
- For the Sauce – Unsalted butter, fresh garlic, and fresh springs of thyme are all you need to create a simple sauce to spoon over these chops.
Special supplies needed
- Cast iron skillet
- Small sheet tray with rack
- Probe thermometer (we use this one at home) with a remote alarm
- Long handled tongs
- Aluminum foil for resting the pork
Should I brine my pork chops before cooking then?
Some cooks suggest soaking pork chops in a brine before cooking to add moisture to the meat. We recommend that you DO NOT brine your pork chops because it changes the texture and flavor of the meat. (We do, however, think that some other meats such as poultry benefit nicely from a brine before cooking.) If you follow our recipe below, brining should not be necessary for you to cook perfectly-moist and flavorful pork chops for you and your family.
How do I make Perfect Pork Chops?
- Season chops with salt and pepper.
- Sear pork chops in hot skillet.
- Roast in the oven for ten minutes.
- Make sauce by gently cooking butter, garlic and fresh thyme together.
- Add pork chops to sauce and baste for five minutes.
- Let rest on rack with loose piece of foil for ten minutes, then serve with sauce over the top.
Are Pork Chops safe to eat with some pink inside?
Yes! Eating pork with a little bit of pink color in the middle is perfectly safe these days, according to the USDA*.
Back in the olden days, pigs were fed slop, and many people became sick with trichinosis after eating pork. To avoid trichinosis, people were told to cook pork until it was very well done to kill any bacteria – and the results were dry, tough pork chops to eat.
Today, advances in food safety now require pigs that are bred for pork consumption to be grain-fed (similar to cattle raised for beef consumption). It is perfectly safe to eat pork that is still slightly pink – and it will be more moist and delicious too!
*The USDA guidelines now state that pork can be safely consumed when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Frequently asked Questions
Can I make Perfect Pork Chops ahead of time? No – for best results, pork chops should be cooked right before eating, not made ahead.
How do I store leftovers? Store covered and refrigerated for up to two days.
How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat gently in the oven or microwave, but be careful to only warm through. Avoid overcooking the leftovers.
Can I freeze? Yes, the cooked pork chops can be frozen. Fully thaw before reheating as noted above.
This post originally appeared on A Family Feast in April 2013. We’ve updated the post and recipe to make Perfect Pork Chops even easier to prepare.
You may enjoy these other recipes:
- Perfect Holiday Ham
- Perfect Grilled Burgers
- Perfect French Toast
- Perfect Pan-Seared Scallops (with a Simple Pan Sauce)
- Perfect Pan-Seared Steak
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Perfect Pork Chops
Ingredients
Two 1 1/2 inch bone-in, center cut pork chops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3 peeled and smashed garlic cloves
6 or more fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Line a small sheet tray with foil and place a rack in the tray over the foil. Set aside.
- Pat the pork dry and salt and pepper both sides.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with the vegetable oil until the oil starts to smoke.
- Use tongs and set both chops in place in the hot oil. Do not touch for three minutes.
- Turn each over and do not touch for two minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and transfer both chops to the prepared sheet tray.
- Place a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thickest chop and place in the oven.
- Set probe to alarm at 135 degrees F. The chops should take about ten minutes to reach 135 degrees F.
- While the chops are cooking, pour the fat out of the skillet and discard but leave the browned bits in the pan.
- Off heat add three tablespoons of the butter, all of the garlic and about half of the thyme. Turn the burner on low.
- Once the pork reaches 135 degrees F, remove from the oven and set them into the skillet and turn the heat to medium.
- Tip the pan and using a spoon, baste the chops on both sides for five minutes.
- Remove the pork chops to the rack, place a single pad of butter on each and cover loosely with foil and let rest ten minutes.
- During this resting time, the chops will reach 145 degrees F which is the safe cooking temperature for pork.
- While the meat is resting, add the remaining butter and remaining thyme to the skillet and stir and cook for a few minutes. Then remove the pan from heat and let it sit.
- Once the pork has rested, pour any liquids into the skillet, strain and serve over each pork chop.
- You may also leave the solids in the sauce and serve with the pork.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
My husband and I love to cook together and we made your Perfect Pork Chops on Sunday. The cooking technique and browned butter sauce resulted in the most gorgeous and probably the best tasting pork chops we ever had! Love your recipes and cooking lessons! We’re looking forward to trying your perfect pan seared steak… We may never go to a high end steak house again!
Thank you so much Susan! We’re so glad you enjoyed the pork chops and we hope you enjoy the steak just as much!
oh i have tried so many pork chop recipes and they’ve just been okay. this one though…… perfect! i only wish i’d run across this a long time ago. the pork chops i had on hand were boneless and about 1 inch thick. but, i prepared them according to the recipe. i never seem to have fresh herbs on hand, so i melted the butter and added garlic powder and powdered thyme. stirred until it all blended together. these pork chops were PERFECT. the best flavor ever, tender and i loved the crispiness of the outside of them. my husband said they were GREAT. so, thank you for taking time to share this with everyone. i could kiss you right now.
You’re very welcome Vicki! So glad the recipe was a hit! 🙂
I’ve been cooking for 50 years and these were the absolutely best pork chops I have ever made! You are now my go-to web site for recipes!
Awwww – thank you Kathy!! We’re very glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
Just an update. These chops were absolutely delicious. I did a few things different than the recipe. I did not have fresh tyme so used ground which works out fine and I added one tablespoon coconut oil in addition to the vegetable oil. Will definitely be cooking this again soon. Thank you for the time and effort you put in to giving us great recipes
You’re very welcome Terri! So glad your dinner was a success!
Going to try this for dinner tonight. Will be searing it because I love them browned like that. Thank you for the recipe.
We hope you enjoyed the recipe Terri!
I made your Perfect Pork Chops for dinner tonight and they were deliciously perfect. Of all the pinterest recipes I viewed yours looked so easy. I usually use thin chops because the thick ones always get so dried out but this recipe was juicy and so flavorful.
Thanks Glenna – we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Has anyone tried this without the thermometer? I don’t have one and want to make them tomorrow. Any thoughts?
Hi Carrie – What’s known as ‘the poke test’ is another way to tell the doneness of meat such as steak or pork chops if you don’t have a thermometer. This link: http://www.asweetpeachef.com/cooking-101/cooking-101-how-to-check-doneness-of-meat/ gives a great visual explanation – for pork chops we’d recommend cooking to what’s shown here as ‘medium’. Hope that helps!
The port chops were indeed perfect! Thank you. The butter and thyme garlic sauce added so much as well. Now I’m going to try your steak recipe.
Thanks Patricia!!
Pork chops were extremely moist, and the flavor was very good. I didn’t have thyme, so I used some chopped rosemary – delicious! My son said, “I love the flavor and the moistness, but I’m used to the hard ones.” My husband and I laughed! The texture definitley does change using the brine, the mess was hardly one at all, and the flavor was intense. I watched the searing video, and I decided to sear the meat anyway, and I’m glad that I did. Thank you, I will surely make these many times in the future! ~ Sheri
Hi Sheri – Your son’s comment made us laugh! Thank you for writing to us and we’re very glad you enjoyed the recipe! Have a great evening!
Perfect pork chops should be called awesome pork chops. Best we have ever tasted. Because one comment indicated they spattered a lot, we used the spatter screen which was very helpful. It took both of us to read the recipe, flip the chops and set the timer. It was fun though and we can’t wait to make them again soon.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for writing to us!