This is my mom’s Pan-Fried Pork Chops recipe and since learning her method, I will never prepare pork another way again. Make the pork chops while steaming some veggies and dinner will be done in less than 20 minutes!
While I was visiting my mom last week, I made sure to tap into a few of her talents since she is the World’s Most Talented Human (official title). She taught me how to crochet, she introduced me to the most delicious steak I’ve ever tasted (OHMYGOSH it was incredible), she made a killer batch of mashed potatoes for me and she divulged her famous Pan-Fried Pork Chops recipe. Which happens to be so easy I could hardly believe it. You might see how few ingredients there are and how little time this recipe takes and doubt my claim that they’re the best pork chops ever. Believe me, though, you are going to want to make these ASAP. And bonus good news! If you are on the Whole30 diet, they totally comply!
I’ve made two batches since being back home and I have a few bits of advice to share before you begin:
– Let the pork chops sit before cooking, after being salted and peppered, for the full 30 minutes. If you have time, let them sit for an hour.
– After the initial searing and when you cook the pork chops for the 5-8 minutes covered, LOWER HEAT IS BEST. Slow, low cooking is the key.
– For pork chops with a thickness of 1 inch, 7 minutes per side was a magic number for me for the last stretch of cooking.
– As always with pork, you’ll want it cooked thoroughly but you also want to be careful not to overcook. It’s a delicate dance! Cut into the center of the pork chop immediately after cooking to check for pinkness. If you see pink, return the chops to the skillet and cook for 2 more minutes per side and recheck.
I love that these comply with Whole30 since we are in that mode right now. If you’re looking for some delicious sides to go with the pork chops, check out these Zoodles and Mushrooms or Roasted Veggies or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or even Baked Potato Chips!
Enjoy! You are going to love love love these Pan-Fried Pork Chops!
Pan-Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 boneless pork chops
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Completely thaw pork chops and place them on a flat surface. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add the pork chops to the center of the skillet. Cook on med-high heat for 2 minutes on each side (no longer). Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes on each side (length of time will vary depending on thickness of chops).
- Transfer pork chops to serving plates and serve immediately!
You take what I do and make it better. You are such a treasure. Mom
It’s fun to collaborate. Love you!