These Pan Seared Pork Chops get a deep golden crust in a cast iron skillet, then finish with a garlic and herb butter baste right in the pan. This is the version I start with when I want a genuinely great pork chop and nothing complicated. One skillet, about 25 minutes, and no guessing on doneness.
Other ways to cook pork chops:
The Key to Juicy Pan Seared Pork Chops
Pork chops turn tough and dry fast, and it’s almost never the recipe’s fault. It’s one of three things going wrong before the chops ever hit the pan. Get these right and the rest of it is easy. Here’s what makes or breaks pork chops every single time.
- Buy chops at least 1 inch thick — Everything in this recipe’s timing is built around it. Thinner chops blow past 145°F before a crust ever has a chance to form.
- Dry chops, hot pan — Surface moisture steams instead of searing. That’s the whole difference between gray and golden.
- Pull them at 140°F — They climb to 145°F while resting. Waiting for 145 in the pan is how chops end up dry.
How to Make Pan Seared Pork Chops
Cast iron is what makes this work. It holds heat when the cold chops go in, cooks evenly, and gives you that deep brown color a thinner pan just won’t. The whole thing runs about ten minutes of actual cooking, so have everything within reach before you start.
Step 1: Get the Skillet Screaming Hot
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s very hot, about 2-3 minutes.
Don’t add oil yet. Let the pan itself come up to temperature first.
Step 2: Dry and Season the Chops
Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel, then season generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Be more aggressive with the salt than feels natural. A thick chop needs it.
Score the fat cap: Two or three shallow cuts through the fat band keep the chops flat instead of buckling up in the pan.
Step 3: Add the Oil
Add the avocado oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Once the oil shimmers but isn’t smoking excessively, you’re ready.
Avocado Oil + Butter
This recipe uses two fats on purpose. Avocado oil handles the hard sear because it has a smoke point around 520°F, well above what a good crust needs. Butter comes in at the end, after the heat drops, because the milk solids in butter burn well below the temperature you need for a good crust. Swapping in olive oil or starting with butter is the most common reason a sear turns bitter instead of brown.
No avocado oil on hand? Any refined, neutral oil with a high smoke point works — grapeseed, canola, or safflower are all good subs. Skip extra virgin olive oil here; its smoke point is too low for a hard sear.
Step 4: Sear Hard, Two Minutes Per Side
Carefully place the pork chops in the pan. Sear for 2 minutes without moving them, then flip and sear the other side for another 2 minutes.
✦ Leave them alone here. Moving them around is what prevents a crust from forming.
Step 5: Flip Often Until They Hit 140°F
Continue flipping every 45-60 seconds, standing the chops on their edges along the way so the fat cap and sides brown too. Counting those first two sears, total time in the pan usually runs 5-8 minutes for 1-inch chops.
Flipping this often is the point. It keeps either side from sitting on the heat long enough to scorch while the center is still catching up.
✦ Timing varies by thickness: A 1.5-inch chop can need a few minutes more. Go by the thermometer, not the clock.
✦ Thicker Pork Chops: For chops much over 1.5 inches, sear both sides hard for 2 minutes each, then move the whole skillet into a 400°F oven and roast until the center reads 140°F. The pan sear alone can’t get that deep without overcooking the outside.
Step 6: Add the Butter, Garlic, and Herbs
Lower the heat to medium-low, then add the butter, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs to the pan.
As the butter melts, use a metal spoon to continuously baste the chops by spooning the melted butter over them for about 1 minute. Tilt the pan toward you so the butter pools at the low edge and you get a full spoonful every time.
Step 7: Rest, Then Serve
An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here. Once the internal temperature reaches 140°F, take the chops out of the pan and set them on a wire rack to rest for at least 5-10 minutes, longer for thicker chops.
✦ Pull them at 140°F: They carry over to 145°F as they rest, which is the current USDA standard for pork. The old 160°F guidance is what dried out a generation of pork chops.
✦ Don’t tent with foil: Trapped steam softens the crust you just spent ten minutes building.
Top with the charred garlic, herbs, and browned butter from the pan and serve right away.
✦ Worth trying: After the chops come out, pour a splash of chicken stock into the hot pan and scrape up the browned bits for about 30 seconds. You get a quick pan sauce out of what’s already in there.
What to Serve Alongside
A pan seared chop is rich, so I lean toward one starch and one green vegetable and leave it at that. Mashed potatoes are the classic move, and the browned butter from the pan doubles as gravy if you spoon it over both. These are the sides I come back to most:
How to Store and Reheat
Pork chops hold up fine for a few days, though reheating is where they’re most likely to dry out on you.
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
On the stovetop: This is the better method. Warm in a pan over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes per side.
In the microwave: Faster, but they can come out slightly dry. Lay a damp paper towel over the plate and check after 30 seconds.
FAQs
Can I use boneless pork chops?
Yes, with one adjustment. Bone-in chops hold moisture better and cook a little slower, so boneless chops will hit 140°F sooner and give you less margin for error. Start checking the temperature about two minutes earlier than you would with bone-in, and make sure they’re still at least 1 inch thick. Thin boneless chops are the toughest version of this to get right.
Why do pork chops burn on the outside but stay raw in the middle?
Almost always heat that’s too high held for too long on one side. If you drop the chops in and leave them for six or seven minutes hoping the center catches up, the surface will be past browned and into burnt before it does.
That’s exactly why this recipe flips every 45 to 60 seconds after the initial sear. Each flip lets the cooked side coast while the other one works, so heat moves toward the center without punishing the crust.
Do I need a cast iron skillet?
It’s the best tool for this, but not the only one. Cast iron holds its temperature when cold chops hit the surface, which is the whole reason the crust develops so well. Carbon steel works just as well. A heavy stainless pan will get you most of the way there.
Can I cook more than two chops at once?
Only if they fit with real space between them. Crowding the pan traps steam and drops the surface temperature, and you’ll end up with pale chops instead of seared ones. In a standard 12-inch skillet, two thick chops is the comfortable limit. For four, sear them in two batches and hold the first batch on the wire rack while the second cooks.
Best Damn Pan Seared Pork Chops
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Thick-cut bone-in pork chops seared in cast iron until deeply golden, then basted with garlic herb butter right in the pan. Pull them at 140°F and they rest their way to juicy every time.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork chops (at least 1 inch thick)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt (or salt to taste)
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or another high smoke point oil)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it is very hot, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel, then season generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper on all sides. Score the fat cap with two or three shallow cuts to keep the chops from curling.
- Add the avocado oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Once the oil shimmers but isn’t smoking excessively, carefully place the pork chops in the pan.
- Sear for 2 minutes without moving, then flip and sear the other side for another 2 minutes.
- Continue flipping every 45-60 seconds until the chops reach 140°F, standing them on their edges to brown the fat cap and sides. Including the two sears above, total time in the pan is usually 5-8 minutes for 1-inch chops.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, then add the butter, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs to the pan. As the butter melts, use a metal spoon to continuously baste the chops by spooning the melted butter over them for about 1 minute.
- Remove the pork chops from the pan when the internal temp reaches 140°F and place them on a wire rack to rest for at least 5 minutes. The internal temp will rise to 145°F during the resting period. Do not tent with foil.
- Top with the browned garlic, herbs, and browned butter from the pan. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Thickness is not optional. Chops need to be at least 1 inch thick. Thinner chops overcook before a crust forms.
- Pull at 140°F, not 145°F. Carryover heat brings them to 145°F while resting, which is the current USDA standard for pork.
- Dry the surface completely. Any moisture left on the chops steams instead of searing.
- Two fats, two jobs. Avocado oil takes the hard sear, butter goes in only after the heat drops so it doesn’t burn.
- Score the fat cap. Two or three shallow cuts stop the chops from buckling in the pan.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Two thick chops is the limit in a 12-inch pan. Sear four in two batches.
- Rest on a wire rack, uncovered. Foil traps steam and softens the crust.
- Chops over 1.5 inches: Sear 2 minutes per side, then finish in a 400°F oven until the center reads 140°F.
- Boneless chops work but cook faster and dry out more easily. Start checking about two minutes early.
- Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a pan over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Rest Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Sue says
Was way too cold out to do my thick chops on the grill, I do with a coffee rub, so good. So I found this recipe and thought they looked great and they were fabulous! My hubby and I loved them. Thanks so much, was easy and so quick. Yum!
Sara says
Thanks for making this so easy! It turns out fantastic every time.