Pan Searing Pork Chops
The pork chops are first pan-seared, which creates a nice brown crust on the outside and deepens the flavor. They finish cooking in the sauce with the other ingredients, which keeps them tender and juicy. To ensure they are fully cooked, I recommend using an instant read thermometer. See more on this and my recommendation below. We start this fantastic skillet dinner with an easy rub that helps to season the meat. Then we layer in my delicious BBQ Sauce – a highly rated, five star sauce. All of this comes together in just 25 minutes for a filling dinner that you can come back to over and over again.
Make pork rub. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season the pork chops. Pat the chops very dry with a paper towel and rub liberally with the spice mixture. Sear the pork chops. Heat the oil in a large skillet and, when smoking, add the prepared pork chops. Cook for four minutes on each side. Add BBQ sauce. Brush the pork chops with bbq sauce, flip, and cook for about one minute so that the bbq sauce can caramelize. Finish cooking the pork chops. Brush the pork chops with bbq sauce and flip again, cooking for one more minute or until the chops register 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
But letting a dry rub on meat works a lot like a marinade. It helps breakdown just that outer layer of the meat and let those delicious flavors get in there. It is what we do in my Crockpot Ribs to really enhance their flavor. If you have the extra time, you might want to give these pork chops a good rub down with the seasonings the night before you make them.
Storing and Reheating
Store your pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat leftovers over low heat on the stovetop with a little more BBQ sauce. Always use your best discretion with leftovers. If you are tight on time, you can absolutely use store-bought sauce. My philosophy is always that time around the table with those you love is more important than what you put on it. So if using store-bought sauce is what you need to do to make this dinner happen, do it! This recipe will also work with boneless pork chops, but the cooking time will be shorter. It is essential that you do not over-cook pork. It is done at 145 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of the color when you cut into it. If you are switching to boneless pork chops, it is essential that you use an instant read thermometer. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer or meat thermometer in any meat recipe, including this one. It allows you to end the cooking process at the exact right temperature. You can see my recommendation for an instant read thermometer above. As soon as the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit at their thickest point, remove them from heat.
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If you try these bbq pork chops or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment telling me what you think. I love hearing from you!
