Master juicy, thick-cut bone-in pork chops with a perfectly pan-seared golden crust and finished in a hot oven—your guide to restaurant-quality results.
Want to make some flavorful pork chops with a gorgeous golden crust that will have you wanting to pick up the bone and chew the meat right off?
This recipe is particularly weeknight-friendly. During busy evenings, you can keep it simple with just salt and pepper and let the pork chops come to room temperature while you wait for the oven to preheat. You'll have time to prepare sides, set the table, or simply enjoy a moment of peace with your favorite beverage.
Grab your heaviest skillet (cast iron is ideal) and create something spectacular! Perfect to serve with easy chipotle sweet potato puree and crispy oven-roasted brussel sprouts.
Jump to:
The Secrets To Restaurant-Quality Pork Chops
- Choose the right cut of pork – Thick is the way to go. We're talking 1¼ to 1½ inches thick, bone-in loin or center-cut T-bone chops giving you more protection from overcooking. Don’t waste your money and efforts on those thin cuts that go from raw to overcooked in the blink of an eye.
- Master the two-step cooking process – The magic happens through a combination of stovetop searing on a heavy, oven-safe skillet followed by a brief finish in the oven. The initial sear builds color and flavor from that coveted Malliard reaction, while the oven heat brings the meat to the ideal internal temperature without drying it out.
- An instant-read thermometer will help you – A simple way to avoid overcooking is by using a meat thermometer. Pork chops need to be taken off the heat when they are at 140°F. The internal temperature will continue to rise well above the USDA recommended temperature of 145°F with a 3-minute rest once it is off the heat. People often pull pork at a higher temperature. Unfortunately, it is already overcooked and dry.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Pork chops are affordable and loaded with flavor when properly cooked.
- This recipe is weeknight-friendly yet elegant enough for a dinner party.
- It's so easy and minimal effort with only 4 ingredients!
Ingredients
Here are the four ingredients needed to make pan-seared bone-in pork chops.
- Thick Cut Bone-In Pork Chops: Our favorite chop is a 1¼ to 1½ inches thick, bone-in loin chop also called pork rib chops, which have the spare rib attached, giving you some protection from overcooking.
- Canola Oil: Any neutral-tasting, high-smoke-point oil would work like vegetable or avocado oil.
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper: Grinding your peppercorns the day of cooking is best.
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: I prefer the brand Diamond Crystal because its shape is lighter and flakey, and it dissolves faster, which helps prevent over-seasoning. If using Morton kosher or table salt, reduce the salt measurements by half.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
Pork Tips
- If the chops have a fat cap up to ¼ inch thick or more, make 2-3 small cuts through the fat cap (this is called scoring) to prevent curling.
- You can order a local, heritage-bred, whole bone-in pork loin roast such as Berkshire or Duroc. The heritage breeds have a rosy meat color with more marbling and flavor. Cut your own chops as thick as you want, and they freeze easily.
- Another great bone-in chop is a 1¼ to 1½ inch thick, center-cut Porterhouse chop which looks like a T-bone with the tenderloin on one side and the loin on the other side of the bone.
Substitutions & Variations
- Garlic Powder - In addition to salt and pepper, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder can be sprinkled on the pork chops.
- Dry Brine - For weekend cooking when you have more time or are looking for extra flavor, apply the salt and pepper to the chops and let them rest covered in the fridge for up to a day before they're ready to be cooked.
If you add any dry herbs to the seasoning, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Before You Get Started
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare your pork chops!
- You are cooking to a final internal temperature of 140℉ rather than by the clock. The time estimates are provided for your planning.
- You do not want to overcrowd your skillet or you will steam rather than sear the chops.
- The skillets need to be hot. You will know they are ready when you moisten your fingertips with water and flick the water onto the pans. The water will jump around and quickly evaporate.
- After placing the pork chops on the pan, you should hear a strong sizzle. If you don't hear the sizzle, pull the chops out of the skillets because the pans are not hot enough. Wait a few minutes longer for the skillets to heat up and retry.
- If you are cooking a T-bone or Porterhouse chop, check the temperature on the larger loin side rather than the small tenderloin. The little piece of tenderloin will cook faster than the loin, but it will remain tender.
How To Pan-Sear Thick, Bone-In Pork Chops
First, preheat your oven to 450℉.
Step 1: Season all sides of the chops with salt and pepper and let rest on the counter for 25-30 minutes while you wait for the oven to preheat.
Step 2: When the oven is ready, turn the burners to high heat under your skillets. Each skillet will hold 2 pork chops. Wait for the skillets to get ripping hot, around 4-5 minutes. Do not proceed until your skillets are hot.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to each pan. and swirl it around. Confirm the oil is hot and shimmering and ready for your sear. A little bit of smoke is normal, however, if it starts to smoke too much, adjust the heat under the skillet down a bit.
Step 4: Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture the salt may have drawn out to the surface. Then, add the pork chops to the skillets and sear for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Flip the chops over and sear for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Use tongs to rotate the chops on their side (fat cap facing down) and sear for 2 minutes. This helps caramelize and render the fat along with providing a prettier presentation.
Step 7: Flip the chops so that the side that was seared for 5 minutes is facing up. This will be your presentation side. Place the skillets with the chops in the oven to finish roasting.
Step 8: Cook the chops until they reach an internal temperature of 140℉. This can take about 4-6 minutes. Transfer the chops to a cutting board. Let them rest for 5 minutes.
Storage Instructions
Seared pork chops are best served immediately.
Store leftover pork shops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Warm them up in the microwave, but watch them closely so they don't overcook.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pan-Seared Pork Chops
Yes, you can use boneless chops though bone-in chops tend to be more flavorful and stay juicier which is why I prefer them. Make sure they are 1¼ to 1½ inches thick and watch their internal temperature carefully, as boneless chops will cook faster.
Remove your pork chops from the refrigerator 25-30 minutes before cooking to help ensure more even cooking and allow your dry brine to work its magic. While not exactly at room temperature after 30 minutes, I have found their internal temperature comes up to 57-59°F after 30 minutes.
The most common reason is overcooking. Never cook by time alone, they are only guidelines. Pork chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140°F followed by a 5-minute rest. An instant-read meat thermometer will help you confirm when to pull the chops from the heat.
Curling typically occurs when the fat cap around the chop contracts. Make 2-3 small cuts through the fat cap (also called scoring) to prevent curling.
A 10-12 inch heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet, carbon steel, or stainless steel pan works best for achieving an excellent sear and even heat distribution for up to 3 pork chops. I also use a non-stick skillet that's oven-safe up to 500°F to supplement my cast iron pan. This allows me to spread out the chops and prevent steaming rather than squeezing all 4 chops into one skillet resulting in a poor sear.
If you are not finding thick-cut pork chops in the meat aisle, you'll most likely need to call or speak to the butcher for a special request. Search for a local, neighborhood butcher to find the cuts you want. Perhaps your neighborhood butcher can also prepare a heritage-bred, whole, bone-in pork loin for you to bring home so you can cut chops to the thickness you desire.
Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below to let us know how it turned out! Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Perfect Pan-Seared Bone-In Pork Chops
Equipment
- 2, 10-12 inch cast iron skillets (any heavy skillet that is oven safe up to 450℉)
- meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, thick-cut pork chops (14-16 ounces each)
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Season all sides of the chops with salt and pepper and let rest on the counter for 25-30 minutes while you wait for the oven to preheat.
- If the chops have a fat cap up to ¼ inch thick or more, make 2-3 small cuts through the fat cap (called scoring) to prevent curling.
- When the oven is ready, turn the burners to high heat under your skillets. Each skillet will hold 2 pork chops. You do not want to overcrowd your skillet or you will steam rather than sear the chops.
- Wait for the skillets to get ripping hot, around 4-5 minutes. You will know they are ready when you moisten your fingertips with water and flick the water onto the pans. The water will quickly evaporate. Do not proceed until your skillets are hot.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture the salt may have drawn out to the surface.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to each pan. and swirl it around. Confirm the oil is hot and shimmering and ready for your sear. A little bit of smoke is normal, however, if it starts to smoke too much, adjust the heat under the skillet down a bit.
- Add the pork chops to the skillets and sear for 5 minutes. (If you don't hear a strong sizzle at the start, pull the chops out of the skillets because the pan is not hot enough. Wait a few minutes longer for the skillets to heat up and retry.)
- Flip the chops over and sear for 2 minutes.
- Use tongs to rotate the chops on their side, fat cap facing down and sear for 2 minutes. This helps caramelize and render the fat along with providing a prettier presentation.
- Flip the chops so that the side that was seared for 5 minutes is facing up.
- Place the skillets with the chops in the oven. Cook until their internal temperature is 140℉ which can take around 4-6 minutes.
- Once the chops are at 140℉, remove them from the oven. Transfer the chops to a cutting board. Let them rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
- You are cooking to a final internal temperature of 140°F rather than by the clock. The time estimates are provided to give a general idea of how long.
- My favorite instant-read thermometer is a Thermapen.
- Make sure to not burn your fingers. It's easy to forget that the skillet handle is hot from the oven, so I leave an oven mitt on top of the handle as a reminder that it's hot.
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
