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Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops are a quick and delicious way to serve a satisfying gourmet meal. Bone in pork chops are coated with a garlic herb mixture and seared in a seasoned cast iron skillet for the juiciest and most flavorful pork chop you’ve ever had!
This easy skillet pork chop recipe is your new go-to fancy weeknight supper. Thick-cut pieces of bone-in pork are first marinated with olive oil, fresh herbs, and garlic to infuse more flavor into each bite. It cooks in just 10 minutes for a fast and flavorful main dish. There are so many amazing things you can cook in a skillet! Try this Skillet Pizza, this delicious Shrimp and Asparagus Skillet, or easy Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Sauce.
Pork Chops in Cast Iron Skillet
Center cut bone-in pork chops are lean and tender, with a very mild flavor. This makes them perfect for adding a simple herb marinade right before cooking. It also means some people might be a little worried about cooking them at home. You don’t want a boring and dry pork chop, right? Well this recipe is a tried and true method for infusing the most flavor into your pork chop while keeping it so tender and moist you won’t believe it’s pork.
The fragrant natural oils in the thyme and pungent garlic flavor infuse into the olive oil so the pork cooks with a bouquet of aromas that transfers to the meat. The actual cooking time is less than 15 minutes, so you can quickly start to feast! This skillet pork chop is perfect served with some grilled asparagus, crispy skillet potatoes and maybe even a fun horseradish sauce. I recently became a fan of dipping my pork in vinegar and soy sauce! Don’t knock it until you try it, because a little acid really elevates this dish. Get creative with how you serve it in your home.
Ingredients
A simple and fast marinade for these cast iron skillet pork chops can be made with just a handful of ingredients. I like to combine roughly chopped garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. That’s it! I find that not skipping this step makes lean proteins so much more flavorful, like for my chicken marinade. The pork gets a generous coating of the paste before cooking. You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
- Pork Chops: I prefer bone in pork chops because they stay jucier and the bone adds lots of flavor to the pan while cooking.
- Garlic: Minced, for the herb rub.
- Olive Oil: This helps the rub come together. Olive oil has the best flavor in my opinion.
- Thyme: It’s earthy, slightly minty, and a little lemony. It’s a must!
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds tons of earthy flavor with a hint of pepper.
- Kosher Salt: A high quality salt makes all the difference.
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper adds warmth to the pork.
- Butter: For basting the pork after it’s done cooking.
- Fresh Herbs for Garnish: I like to add parsley and thyme for an extra pop of fresh flavor.
Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops Recipe
After a brief 30 to 60-minute marination, the pork is ready to pan-fry. I like to use cast iron skillet because it retains heat really well, which transfers straight to the surface of the pork to develop a beautiful golden sear. The skillet pork chop is flipped several times for even cooking, and to keep it moist and tender.
- Make Herb Rub: In a small bowl combine garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Add to Pork: Rub the herb paste evenly over both sides of the pork chops. Then marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat Skillet: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add Oil to Pan: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Once hot then add the pork chops.
- Cook Pork Chops: Lightly press the pork chops down into the pan to get a nice sear. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip and sear the other side. Then cook the sides of the pork chops if needed depending on the thickness of the pork.
- Flip and Temp: Turn the heat down to medium, and then cook the pork chops until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. Keep flipping every minute for even cooking.
- Add Butter: Turn off the heat and then add the remaining tablespoon of thyme and butter to the pan.
- Baste: Once the butter is melted tilt the pan, and then pour the butter over the top of the pork chops several times to baste.
- Rest and Enjoy: Transfer pork to a cutting board and then allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving for carving.
Tips for Making Skillet Pork Chops
Cooking pork in a cast iron skillet is going to be your new go-to method! It’s so flavorful and juicy you won’t want it any other way. If you have questions about your type of pork chop and how to cook it, then these tips are for you. Make sure to read them before making this recipe because they are here to help.
- Best Pork Chops to Use: Shop for frenched, bone-in center-cut pork chops that are 1 to 1 ½-inches thick. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chop. The bone provides extra flavor to the meat and prevents the protein from cooking too fast and drying out. The marinade and the thick-cut give the juiciest pork chops you’ll ever taste!
- Thickness of Pork Chop: If you chose a thicker or thinner pork chop, or one without a bone, then that will change the amount of time it needs to cook. If your bone-in pork chop is 1/2 inch thick, then it will need about 2-4 minutes per side. If you chose a 1/2 inch boneless piece, then it will need 2-3 minutes per side. It kind of depends on how hot your stove is, so make sure to keep an eye on it. Always check the internal temperature to make sure they are fully cooked.
Storing Leftovers
Skillet pork chops make great leftovers. They stay juicy and flavorful for days, and reheat really easily! Here is how to store your leftovers.
- In the Refrigerator: Store your pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Pork Chop Recipes
Pork chops are a great option for dinner. They are usually pretty inexpensive and are filling. They are also really fun to cook when you know what to do! Here are a few of my favorite pork chop recipes that you’ve got to try!
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Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork chops ,1 inch thickness
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoon thyme, chopped and divided
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- fresh thyme and parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Rub the herb paste evenly over both sides of the pork chops. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Once hot add the pork chops.
- Lightly press the pork chops down into the pan to get a nice sear. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip and sear the other side. Cook the sides of the pork chops if needed depending on the thickness of the pork.
- Turn the heat down to medium, and cook the pork chops until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. Keep flipping every minute for even cooking.
- Turn off the heat and add the remaining talespoon of thyme and butter to the pan.
- Once the butter is melted tilt the pan and pour the butter over the top of the pork chops several times to baste.
- Transfer pork to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving for carving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
very nice, I have a favorite cast iron streak dish that I make regularly, and don’t know why I never tried pork chops that way, happy to see that your recipe is a good one, so thank you!
I have used this recipe several times over the last year or so, and it never fails to be a hit!
This is the way to cook chops. Now they come out tender and tasty. Oh yummm. Thank you
I’m glad that you liked them!!
A great combo of herbs, plus the fresh garlic blended in the taste perfectly! The cooking time was perfect. Thank you!
I love this recipe so much that we have it almost every week. However I usually brine the chops in a mixture of 3 tablespoons kosher salt, pepper, about a tablespoon of sugar or honey, crushed fresh garlic and dried herbs de Provence 1 1/2 teaspoon and water to cover for several hours ahead to guarantee a succulent tender chop. Then a use the rest of this recipe. Can’t see any other way to cook pork chops again!!
All I can say ,,, da lish!!! Easy and busting with flavor
Can you use boneless pork chops for this recipe??
Yes, that will work too. You will need to adjust the time when cooking.
The chops were tender and juicy with a subtle flavor that perniated the meat and enhanced the pork without overpowering it. Great recipe!
That was the perfect blend of seasoning. I usually grill my …. well everything. Was looking for a clean recipe that would keep me in and out of the snow tonight. This is a keeper and will definitely hit the table again.
Funny thing, after looking at this recipe I went and bought a new larger Lodge cast iron skillet. Not trusting the seasoning on a brand new skillet I coated it with Oil and proceeded to smoke up the house by tossing it in the oven. My wife forgave me after she smelled the Thyme, Garlic and Parsley cooking on those chops.
Great Recipe! Thanks!!
I’ve made this many times now and it is always a hit! Such a good recipe!
Had this for dinner tonight…….winner! Did recipe exactly as described. My chops were thick so they took longer to cook, but were moist and tender. Definitely will do again!
What a find! Because I had 4 Pork Chops I put them in the sizzling hot skillet 2 at a time for 1 minute each side. Then in a 400 degree oven for 6 minutes. While in the oven I added butter and thyme sprigs to the hot skillet and lowered the heat. They came out of the oven at 138 🙂
I put all 4 of them in the skillet and basted for a few minutes. Then let them rest for 5 minutes. Had to stop my Daughter eating all 4 lol
Will have to try this!😉
Simple and Awesome recipe, thank you
Yum!!!! Turns out I do like pork chops! Prior to this meal, the 3 words I associated with pork chops were dry and very dry but this recipe has changed all that. I had pork chops in the fridge and needed a quick right-now recipe. A simple google search yielded this page and I took a chance, now my world is forever changed. Thank you!