RoughChop Logo
Suggestions
🖨️

Pork Chops

Chop Rating
chopchopchopchopchop
Sign in to review
Not yet rated
main courses•american•contains meat; contains dairy; gluten-free
35 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 4 pork chops, bone-in (about 1-inch thick) – patted dry
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic – lightly crushed
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
pork chops

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper; let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.

2. Heat the neutral oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, 2–3 minutes.

3. Lay the pork chops in the skillet and sear without moving until deep golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Flip and sear the second side until browned, 2–3 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the unsalted butter, garlic, and fresh thyme. Tilt the pan and baste the chops with the foaming butter for 1–2 minutes.

5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone reads 135–140°F, 5–10 minutes depending on thickness; the chops should feel just firm and springy.

6. Transfer the pork chops to a plate, spoon some of the thyme-garlic butter over top, and rest for 5–10 minutes to reach 145°F internally.

7. Serve warm, spooning any remaining pan butter over the chops.

Pork chops are a straightforward cut that rewards good technique with big flavor: a well-seared crust gives way to a juicy, tender interior. Seasoning is simple—salt and pepper let the mild, slightly sweet pork shine—while a quick butter baste with garlic and herbs adds aroma without masking the meat. When cooked to a blush at the center and rested properly, they deliver a satisfying balance of savory depth and clean, meaty sweetness.

Across home kitchens and restaurants, pork chops have long been a weeknight staple and a comfort classic. They trace their popularity in the United States to widespread hog farming and mid-20th-century butchery that standardized cuts like center-cut, rib, and loin chops. Modern guidance sets a safe finish at 145°F with a short rest, moving away from the dry, overcooked chops of the past and celebrating juicier, more flavorful results.