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These are the Best Pan-Seared Pork Chops, and – even better – they are easy and quick.
I’ve had a lot of dry, tough pork chops over the years, and sadly, I’ve made many of them. In fairness to myself, sometimes it’s the cut of the meat that is to blame. If your chop is really thin, it’s best to bake them in a sauce rather than directly pan-frying. Frying a thin cut will cook them super-fast and it’s almost impossible to keep them from going dry. But in a pinch, I’ve thrown a few in a pan and hoped for the best – and I’m usually disappointed.
If you’ve invested in some nice, thick, bone-in pork chops and you want to make sure they don’t turn out dry and tough, this is the recipe for you.
Best Pan-Seared Pork Chops in a Cast Iron Skillet
This two-step recipe calls for a good sear in a cast-iron skillet, then finishing the chops off in a hot oven. Using the cast-iron lets you go directly from the stove to the oven, so you need only one pan. And the ingredients are so simple, you probably have them all in your cupboard right now.
The main tip for you is to get your skillet really hot! The oil should giving off just a whisp of smoke. If you lay your chop down, it should sizzle strongly . . . if it doesn’t, remove it immediately and keep heating the skillet. It’s so important to sear the outside of your chop to keep the juices inside, rather than running out in your pan. (Check out this great article on the balance between “whisp” of smoke versus burning and ruining your olive oil: How to Avoid Burning Extra-Virgin Olive Oil When Cooking)
I do use a meat thermometer on my pork to determine done-ness. It should read 145° F when you remove it from the oven. Let it rest for at least 3 minutes before serving.
Best Pan-Seared Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 Bone-in Pork Chops 1 1/2 in thick
- 2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme or 1 full sprig fresh
- 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary, crumbled or 1 full sprig fresh
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F
- Rub chops with salt, pepper and dried herbs. (If using fresh, set them aside for use later in the process.)
- Heat olive oil in cast-iron skillet over high heat until the first whisps of smoke appear (about 410° F). Lay chops in hot oil.
- Fry chops for 4 minutes on each side, flipping just once. Add butter (and fresh herbs, if using) and spoon over chops 2 or three times.
- Place chops in hot oven and finish to internal temp of 145° F (about 6 minutes at 400° F)
- Remove skillet from oven and remove chops to serving plate, basting one more time with oil/butter from pan before resting for three minutes.
Best Pan-Seared Pork Chops – Questions and Answers
Why do my pork chops always turn out dry?
Usually it’s either a thin cut (which cooks so fast in a pan that it’s nearly impossible to keep moist) or skipping the sear. A hard sear locks in the juices before the chops finish cooking, and thick, bone-in chops give you a much bigger margin for error than thin ones.
Is it better to bake or pan-fry pork chops?
For thick, bone-in chops, doing both is the winning combination — a hard sear in a hot cast-iron skillet for flavor and crust, then finishing in the oven for even, gentle cooking through to the center. Baking alone won’t give you that crust, and pan-frying alone risks drying out the exterior before the inside catches up.
How do I know when my skillet is hot enough to sear?
Watch for the oil to give off just a whisp of smoke — that’s around 410°F. When you lay the chop in the pan, it should sizzle strongly right away. If it doesn’t, pull it back out and let the skillet heat longer before trying again.
What internal temperature should pork chops reach?
Pull them at 145°F on a meat thermometer, then let them rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. Resting lets the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
Can I use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in?
Yes, though bone-in chops tend to stay juicier and the method here was developed with them in mind. If using boneless, watch your cook time closely since they’ll cook a bit faster.
Do I need a cast-iron skillet specifically?
Cast iron is ideal because it goes straight from stovetop to oven in one pan, and it holds heat exceptionally well for a strong sear. Any other oven-safe, heavy-bottomed skillet can work in a pinch
Looking for another way to cook your pork chops?
If you’re wanting another idea for pork shops, why not try these Smothered Baked Pork Chops? Quick and easy, smothered in a rich creamy mushroom sauce.
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I also find it very difficult to cook pork chops without drying them out. So you say the secret is to sear the outside first so that the juices don’t escape. This does make a lot of sense. I am sure that adding the extra butter while cooking also helps and at the end.
Is there anything else besides butter for the cholesterol conscious?
You could substitute EVOO. Of course, it’s not butter (what is?), but it should keep the chop juicy for you.
This recipe sounds perfect for us! My husband loves pork chops, and I usually just marinate them and pan‑fry, but they don’t always turn out as juicy as I’d like. I really like how you explained the importance of searing in a hot cast‑iron skillet and then finishing them in the oven; it makes sense that this would lock in the juices better.
I’m definitely going to try this method this weekend. Do you find that bone‑in chops consistently give better flavor and tenderness compared to boneless ones?
With a thinner chop, searing then finishing them in a sauce is sometimes the best way to go. But if you’re going to splurge on a thick, bone-in chop, this really is the best way to produce a nice juicy chop!
Thanks for the great recipe.