Cast Iron Pan Seared Pork Chops Recipe • Longbourn Farm

Name: Pan Seared Pork Chops
Prep time: 360 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 380 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1 shallot (minced); 1 garlic clove (minced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 6-8 pork chops (thin cut); 3 tablespoons butter (cold); 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, optional)

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Pan seared pork chops with an incredible marinade are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Family friendly food, delicious over salad or something else!

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Pan Seared Pork Chops

Pan seared anything is delicious, and these pan cooked pork chops are no exception! The marinade makes them incredibly flavorful + adds a little sweetness so they get nice and caramelized in the pan.

The marinade also turns into a light pan sauce that is perfect over salad greens, rice or grits. Or anything else you can think of! Oh, and did I mention it only takes 20 minutes to throw together? Um yeah. It's a winner!

And I also have a confession. This marinade is really a salad dressing! It's one of my easy homemade salad dressing recipes and it makes this dish incredible.

I love making this for lunch and serving it over mixed salad greens. It's a perfect light meal.

My family prefers it over something a bit more substantial, like rice or grits, but anyway you eat it is going to be amazing.

Ingredients for Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops

For the Marinade

½ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 shallot minced
1 garlic clove minced
salt and pepper

For the Chops

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6-8 thin cut pork chops
3 tablespoons butter, cold
*(optional) 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

What kind of pork chops do you use for Pan Cooked Pork Chops?

I always prefer the thin pork chops, I find they hold marinade flavor better and cook up more evenly without becoming dry. If you do use thicker chops, you'll want to adjust to lower cooking temperature and a longer cooking time.

How to Make Sauce for Pan Seared Pork Chops

The pork chop sauce comes together so easily, all you do is deglaze the pan with the leftover marinade, bring it to a simmer while scraping the pan, and then add a couple of tablespoons of butter off the heat.

Adding butter to a sauce off the heat just before serving is called "mounting" the sauce.

This technique just ensures that the butter remains emulsified and you also get a beautiful glossy sauce! Plus....butter. I never miss a chance to cook with it 🙂 .

Besides how amazing these pan cooked pork chops tastes, the best thing about it is how quick it is to make. 20 minutes tops, for real! You are never to busy for a meal like this.

And really, you could probably make it faster. Making the marinade takes the longest amount of time!

Speaking of the marinade, you can make it up well in advance and keep it in the fridge. It's a great way to meal prep. I even add it to a bag of pork chops and toss them in the freezer.

Then the night before I need them I'll put them in the fridge - it makes dinner that much quicker!

How to Marinate Pork Chops for Frying

How long should you marinate pork chops?

Pork chops should be marinated for at least 6 hours, up to overnight.

How to Pan Sear Pork Chops

Do I put oil in the pan when cooking pork chops?

Yes, you should put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan before placing the pork chops in the pan.

How long should you sear and cook pork chops per side?

The exact time will depend on the thickness of your pork chops. For medium sized pork chops, this will be about 4 minutes per side.

How do you keep pork chops from drying out when cooking?

Pork chops will dry out when they are overcooked. Using a meat thermometer is your best option for not over cooking pork chops. Perfectly cooked chops will have an internal temperature of 160ºF.

Why are my pan fried pork chops tough?

Pork chops are tough when they are overcooked or cooked too quickly. Following the directions in this recipe will help you get perfectly cooked pork chops.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Pan Cooked Pork Chops

Cooked pork chops can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Reheating pork chops is best done in the microwave, 1 minute at a time until heated through.