Description
Perfect Pan Seared Pork Chops is my go-to chops recipe. It comes out tender, juicy and flavorful every time. The chops are perfect with all your family’s favorite sides and cook up in about 20 minutes. Leftovers are delicious, sliced thin and used in stir fries, tacos or other dishes. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4.5 lb pork loin roast
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (or your preferred cooking oil)
- optional, your favorite herbs or seasonings ( i.e. rosemary, thyme, garlic, sage, marjoram or all purpose seasoning)
Instructions
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels.
- Place the pork loin on a cutting board with one of the narrow sides down.
- Use a sharp knife to cut 1″ thick pork chops from the roast.
- Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper (or the herbs/seasonings of your choice).
- Place the seasoned chops in a dish or tray, in a single layer. Leave uncovered and rest for just a few minutes, if you’re in a hurry. If you have time, the best flavor will come from resting these (uncovered) at least four hours, up to overnight. (It works really well to take 5 minutes before you go to bed and get them seasoned. Then they’ll be ready to cook in just minutes when it’s dinnertime tomorrow.) I don’t recommend a metal container for this step. Glass or plastic is best to prevent a metallic taste on your meat.
- Pull the chops out of the fridge 30 minutes before you’ll be cooking them. Having them at room temperature allows them to get a better sear.
- Preheat your skillet with a couple Tablespoons of avocado oil in it. I heat my electric skillet to 375° or heat my cast iron skillet on the stove top at the medium high setting (7 or 8 out of a range of 10).
- Use a paper towel to pat away any moisture that has been released from the chops and then place them in the already HOT skillet.
- Sear for 1 – 2 minutes until the bottom is nicely caramelized and golden brown. Turn the chops and sear the other side. Again, 1-2 minutes will probably be enough.
- Reduce the heat to medium or medium/low and place a lid or cover over the skillet and allow chops to continue cooking anywhere from 8-15 minutes. You are going for an internal temperature of 145°. Resist the urge to cook them longer than that or your pork will be dry and tough. Use a meat thermometer and begin checking the temperature 7 or 8 minutes after the second sear is complete. Keep cooking and checking just until the thermometer inserted into the center of a chop reads 145°.
- When you hit 145°, lift the pork chops out onto a platter to rest. They will continue to cook and the juices will redistribute throughout the meat. Rest them a minimum of 10 minutes, though 15 is probably ideal. Skipping this step can result in tough, dry meat.
- After the rest period, pour any pan drippings over the chops and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve with your favorite sides.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Resting in Fridge Time:
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Meat, Pork
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American