Crispy Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Garlic Butter Sauce

Juicy, full of flavour and simply delicious. These pan-seared pork chops with garlic butter sauce are indulgent, with a balanced touch of sweetness and tang. They’re also super simple to make using everyday ingredients.

Ready in under 15 minutes, this recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight. For more quick dinners try Oven Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs or Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks — both require minimal effort and deliver big flavour.

Looks delicious, right?

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Ingredients

Simple, everyday ingredients that come together to make juicy, flavourful pork chops.

• Pork chops — I used boneless, rindless chops for the photos, but bone-in works well too. If using bone-in, add a little more cooking time. Remove rind before cooking if present, as it can be chewy when pan-seared.
• Worcestershire sauce — adds deep, savory tang, a bit like a cross between BBQ sauce and balsamic. Substitute: balsamic vinegar.
• Dijon mustard — adds a sharp, subtle heat to the butter sauce. Just a teaspoon is enough. Substitute: seeded mustard.

Cooking instructions

To keep the pork chops juicy and full of flavour, do three things: 1) season generously in advance, 2) let the meat reach room temperature before cooking, and 3) rest the chops briefly after cooking.

Start by seasoning the pork generously on both sides with salt and pepper. If the chops have a fat edge, score it at 1 inch / 2.5 cm intervals to prevent curling while searing.

Scoring the fat helps the chops stay flat for even browning.

Let the pork sit until it’s no longer icy cold. In a heavy-based pan or cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add lightly smashed garlic cloves. Sear the garlic over medium heat for about a minute until lightly golden and aromatic — this flavours the oil.

Increase the heat to high and sear the pork chops for about 1 minute per side, undisturbed, to develop a good colour (colour = flavour). Use tongs to stand the chops on their fat edge for 30 seconds to render and caramelise the fat.

Lower the heat, add the butter sauce ingredients — unsalted butter, brown sugar, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce — then tilt the pan away from you and baste the chops constantly with a spoon for roughly 2 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Don’t overcook.

Pork is ready when it feels firm and the internal temperature reaches 145°F / 63°C. If unsure, slice into a chop — a slight blush of pink in the centre is fine for whole cuts. Avoid pink only for ground pork or sausages.

Expert tips for pan-searing pork chops

• Bring pork to room temperature before cooking to ensure even doneness and juiciness.
• Season generously and early. If possible, season the night before; 30 minutes is the minimum to make a noticeable difference.
• Keep the garlic cloves whole and lightly smashed, not minced. They cook gently in the sauce and are tasty served with the pork.
• Score the fat edge at 1 inch / 2.5 cm intervals to stop curling and promote even browning.
• Tilt the pan away from you when basting to avoid splashes — safety first.
• Rest the chops loosely covered for about 3 minutes to keep the juices inside.

Don’t discard the cooked garlic — it’s delicious with the pork chops.

Good to know (FAQs)

Made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments — I’d love to hear your feedback.

Happy eating! — Gen

Video

📖 Recipe

Pan Seared Pork Chops

Juicy, packed with flavour and absolutely delicious. These pan-seared pork chops with garlic butter sauce balance sweet and tangy notes while remaining easy to make.

Takes under 15 minutes — an ideal weeknight dinner.

5 from 6 votes

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
8 minutes

Total Time:
13 minutes

Servings:
4 people

Calories:
369kcal

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops (boneless or bone-in)
• 6 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Butter sauce

• ¼ cup unsalted butter (~60g)
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or balsamic vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or seeded mustard)
• ½ tablespoon brown sugar (or honey)

Instructions

• 1. Generously season pork chops with salt and pepper. Score fat at 1 inch / 2.5 cm intervals. Let come to room temperature.
• 2. In a heavy pan, heat olive oil and add garlic. Sear garlic over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• 3. Turn heat to high and sear pork chops 1 minute per side, undisturbed. Use tongs to hold chops on the fat edge for about 30 seconds to render the fat.
• 4. Add butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low, tilt the pan away and baste constantly for about 2 minutes until cooked to your liking.
• 5. Transfer chops and sauce to a serving dish, loosely cover with foil and rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Notes

Season ahead: Seasoning at least 30 minutes before cooking (or overnight) improves flavour and tenderness.

Room temperature: Cook when the meat is no longer icy cold for more even cooking.

Doneness: Safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F / 63°C. A slight pink in whole cuts is acceptable.

Storage: Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.

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Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 3.1 g
|
Protein: 22.8 g
|
Fat: 29.6 g

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