Pan-Fried Pork Chops Recipe
This tasty fried pork chops recipe is cooked perfectly, loaded with flavor, and served with incredible candied pancetta glaze.
Ingredients
- 4 1 ” thick bone-in pork chops, each one will weigh 10-12 ounces
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 peeled small shallots, cut in half
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 12 cloves of garlic
- 8 ounces medium-diced pancetta
- 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
- ½ cup simple syrup
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat dry the pork chops on both sides with a paper towel.
- Generously season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the oil to a large 12” cast iron or stainless-steel pan and heat it on high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Place the pork chops fat cap side down next to each other while leaning it against the edge of the pan. If you’re doing this in a stainless steel pan, you can hold them together with your tongs. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.
- Turn the pork chops onto their sides, turn the heat down to medium-high, and sear for exactly 4 minutes.
- They should be well-browned. If they’re not, consider moving each one around the pan slightly to help brown any needed areas.
- Flip the pork over and turn the heat to medium-low, closer to the lower side.
- Add in the butter, shallots, garlic, and rosemary.
- Move the pork to one side of the pan and baste the pork using a large spoon and continue to do so until each chop reads 135° internally. This takes about 8-10 minutes total.
- Set the pork on a rack over a sheet tray and rest for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the remaining oil and herbs from the pan and return it to the burner over medium heat add in the pancetta and cook while frequently stirring until they become crispy and lightly browned, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Deglaze with sherry vinegar and cook on medium-high heat until it is reduced by half, which only takes about 2 minutes.
- Add in the simple syrup and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until it becomes like a thick syrup.
- Add the pork chops back in to slightly reheat or serve the glaze over top of the pork chops.
Notes
Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they’re done resting.
How to Store: These fried pork chops will refrigerate well covered in plastic, lasting up to 4 days. In addition, this will also freeze well covered in plastic for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat: I like to add the pork chops with a little bit of chicken stock to a large frying pan. Cover it in foil and cook it in the oven at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until hot. This will help keep it moist.
It’s always important to rest any cooked meat so that the juices can soak back into it, making it more tender and flavorful.
Reheating your pork will 100% cause it to increase in internal temperature, most likely start to overcook it and make it less juicy and tougher.
You can serve the sauce separately and do not need to put the pork back into the pan with it.
Placing the pork in the fat cap side first allows more fat to be rendered into the pan for frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 752kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 37gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 471mgPotassium: 731mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 557IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 3mg