Pan-Seared Pork Chops
Brined, seared, and rested — modern lean pork punishes overcooking more than it used to.
Makes 4 servings · Prep 15 min · Rise 30 min · Bake 10 min
Ingredients
Brine
- 3 cups Water
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar, packed
Chops
- 4 Bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme or rosemary
Instructions
Brine
- Dissolve the salt and brown sugar in the water. Submerge the chops and refrigerate. (Tip: Even a short brine gives real margin against dryness in leaner modern pork — the salt lets the meat hold onto more of its own moisture through the sear.)
Sear
- Remove the chops from the brine, pat completely dry, and season with pepper. (Tip: Dry the surface thoroughly — the same rule as pan-seared steak. A wet surface steams instead of searing.)
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering, then sear the chops until deeply browned on both sides.
Baste
- Add the butter and herbs if using, tilt the pan, and baste the chops with the foaming butter until an instant-read thermometer reads 63°C (145°F). (Tip: This is the current USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of pork, the same as beef — well past the point of dryness the old well-done standard used to demand.)
Rest
- Rest before serving.
Tips
- Chops came out dry and grey: Almost certainly overcooked, likely to an old-fashioned well-done target. Pull them at 63°C and trust the rest — carryover heat and the resting time finish the job without drying the meat further.
- Bone-in vs. boneless: Bone-in chops cook slightly more slowly near the bone and are generally more forgiving of a few extra minutes than boneless, which can go from perfect to dry surprisingly fast given how lean modern pork tends to be.