Perfect Pan-Seared Bone-In Pork Chops

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.

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Resting Time5

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pan-seared, pork, pork chop, under 60 minutes, weeknight

Servings:

Calories: 270kcal

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