Pan-Fried Pork Chops

5 from 2 votes

These Pan-Fried Pork Chops make the perfect quick, easy, and flavorful main course for any meal. They have a tasty brown crust while remaining tender and juicy in the center.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Servings:

Calories: 298kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

4 pork chops loin or center cut, bone or boneless, 1 inch thick
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil more or less to taste

Instructions

Wash and cut slices into the side of each pork chop with the fat and silver skin along the edge. This stops the pork chops from curling.
Make cuts every 1 ½ to 2 inches along that edge. The cuts should be no more than ½ an inch deep.
Dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, with a lid, heat oil until it shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances.
Sprinkle the first side of each pork chop with salt, pepper and a then ¼ teaspoon of sugar.
Press into pork chop.
Next, gently place pork chop in skillet, sugar side down.
Repeat with remaining pork chops.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the tops of all the pork chops once in the skillet.
Cook until sugar side is nicely brown, 5 to 9 minutes.
Flip and reduce heat to low.
Cover and cook until the center of each pork chop is cooked. Use a thermometer to check (140 degrees usually) and between 3 and 7 minutes.
The sugar side will be a darker color.
Serve immediately with applesauce if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

To check for doneness, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chop, avoiding the bone, for the most accurate reading.
Let the pork chops rest for 3 to 5 minutes after cooking so the juices can settle back into the meat, keeping the chops moist.
Cut through the fat edge every 1½ to 2 inches before cooking to help keep the pork chops flat and prevent them from curling in the pan.
Use oil for these pan-fried pork chops because it handles the higher cooking temperature without burning as quickly as butter.

Nutrition