I am SO happy to have my friend Bet from Bet on Dinner with us again today! She is just the best. Betalways shares the yummiest and easiest recipes. If you haven’t seen her 21-Day Fix Meal Plan – you MUST click HERE. Such an absolutely doable, delicious way to get healthy fast. Plus, Bet is a friend of mine from high school and I just love her heart and the way she sees things. Today’s recipe is one of our family’s favorites! I know you will love it AND my friend, Bet!
Who could use a quick, weeknight dinner? Without a fancy list of ingredients? With a make-ahead option that lets you put dinner on the table 20 minutes after you walk in the door? **waves both hands wildly** These honey garlic glazed pork chops check all these wonderful boxes. Plus, this sweet, gorgeous, saucy glaze – it honestly makes my mouth water to look at it!
Since the last time I shared a post on Happy Home Fairy, I had my third daughter and somehow she’s now a super active, determined 8-month-old who likes to play in our dog’s water bowl, chew on used forks scavenged from the dishwasher, and eat the feathers that are coming out of our couch. (Dear couch: please stop shedding feathers.) She’s the most amazing gift to our family – practically a celebrity to her big sisters – but she definitely makes it hard(er) to get dinner on the table! I’ve been embracing simple, quick meals and these pork chops are perfect.
So: mix together honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, and soy sauce for the glaze. I love that it’s only 4 ingredients – and ones that I usually have on hand! The glaze is sweet, but not too sweet – the lemon juice and garlic give it plenty of zip, and the soy sauce adds that salty richness. You can also make the glaze ahead of time (the night before/in the morning/at nap time) to help streamline the cooking process.
The key to developing great flavor is browning the meat, so don’t even touch the pork chops for the first couple of minutes they’re in the pan! Once they’re seared on both sides, turn the heat down and pour in the glaze. Scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet while the sauce bubbles and smells amazing. Simmer the pork chops until they’re cooked through, then give the glaze a couple of extra minutes to thicken if it needs it. I have lots of notes in the recipe about how to tell when the chops and glaze are done, but the sauciness of this dish makes it very forgiving even if things get a little overcooked (because, say, you’re fishing feathers out of a baby’s mouth. For example.).
Recipe - Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 boneless pork chops (3/4-1" thick)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- To make the glass, whisk the honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, and soy sauce together in a bowl, or shake it up in a jar. (This step can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you're ready to cook the pork chops.)
- Heat 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large (12") skillet over medium to medium-high heat, until the oil shimmers.
- Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Carefully add them to the skillet and let them brown (3-4 minutes).
- When they're nicely browned on the first side, flip them over and sear the second side, 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the glaze. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet and stir them into the glaze.
- Allow the chops to simmer until cooked through, about 4-8 minutes, depending on their thickness.
- When the chops are done (see notes below on temperature), remove them to a plate.
- Continue to simmer the glaze until it's thick enough for a spatula to leave a momentary trail if you scrape the bottom of the pan (about the consistency of pancake syrup).
- Pour the glaze directly over the chops on the serving plate, or serve it on the side!
- SPECIAL NOTE: Pork needs to be cooked to 145*, but the pork chops will continue to cook after they've been removed from the pan, so if they're in the neighborhood of 130* when you take their temperature (pick up a chop with tongs and insert a meat thermometer through the side of the chop), it's safe to take them out of the pan. Or, cut into one of the chops - I look for the center to be barely pink so they can cook the rest of the way as they rest.
And done! You just need a couple of sides – I served mine with brown rice so I could douse it with extra sauce (I love this easy oven method) and asparagus (tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, and the zest from the lemon, then roasted at 400* for 10 minutes). Honey garlic glazed pork chops would also be great with a baked potato or oven fries (because what meal is not improved by fries?). If you need something super speedy, go for the microwavable quinoa/rice packets Julie mentions in her Costco post, and some lovely steam-in-the-bag broccoli or a quick salad!
My dad always called pork chops, “porky chops”, and so that’s how I think of them, too. My 2-year-old kept calling it chicken (and come to think of it, this recipe would also be great with chicken breasts or thighs)! But whatever you call it, I hope you love this quick and easy dinner!
*Julie gave me this recipe (and my whole family is grateful!) – I adapted it from Momma Hen’s Kitchen.*
Thank you, sweet Bet, for bringing us this easy, family-friendly recipe today!
We’d love to hear if your family loves Honey Garlic Pork Chops, too!
Joyfully,
Julie 🙂
FAQs
A longer brine will bring more moisture into the pork, but a quick brine will still be helpful if you're in a rush to get dinner started. A thick pork chop (1 ½” to 2”) can brine for longer, but avoid brining for more than 8 hours to prevent toughness. After brining, rinse pork chops and pat dry to remove excess salt.
How to infuse flavor into pork chops? ›
Mix seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and liquid smoke together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Rinse pork chops. Sprinkle wet chops on both sides with spice mixture. Massage spices into meat, then let stand for 10 minutes.
How do you get the most flavor out of pork chops? ›
Like steak or chicken, pork also needs a lot of salt to bring out all the flavor. If you really want to be fancy, you can brine the pork chops in some salt water (season it with other stuff like whole peppercorns and bay leaves). 2. COOK 'EM KINDA LOW AND KINDA SLOW.
Do you put baking soda or powder in pork chops? ›
Using baking powder can bring meat not only tender but also moist and juicy. It's the easy brine for chicken and pork. The other way to tenderise the chicken or any other meat is that add some lemon juice and salt to the chicken or pork.
How do you cook pork chops so they aren't tough and dry? ›
This method for making perfect pork chops is simple—first, the chops are seared in a very hot pan for about 3 minutes, then they're flipped and cooked the rest of the way in the oven. Preparing them this way ensures that they're cooked through but not overcooked. No one wants tough, dry chops.
Is it better to bake or pan fry pork chops? ›
While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.
What spice brings out the flavor of pork? ›
Some of my favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings to use as a pork chop seasoning are cumin, garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Some others that go well with pork are sage, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, and coriander. Brown sugar and clove are a great way to add in some sweetness.
What should I season my pork chops with? ›
Pork Chop Seasoning Recipe
- 3 tablespoons paprika.
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
- 3 teaspoons pepper.
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder.
- 2 teaspoons onion powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- 1/2 teaspoon sage (optional)
Best Seasoning for Pork Chops
Thyme and sage add herby and floral notes complementing pork's flavor exceptionally well. There's also a combination of smoked paprika, pepper, and a little bit of cayenne pepper, which all give your pork chops a lovely, not overly spicy, kiss of heat.
Do pork chops get more tender the longer you cook them? ›
15 mins on a grill flipping both sides until the juice seeps out the surface of meat, then take off grill, rest for 1-2 minutes then enjoy ! No more so than any other meat. Tender cuts, like tenderloins and chops, don't need to be cooked for a long time. In fact too long will toughen them.
The pork you buy from the grocery store is dry and tasteless because genetically, the hogs are bred for less fat, while ours are the way pigs traditionally are, with tremendously tasty intra-muscular fat.
What is the most flavorful pork chop? ›
Bone-in: I much prefer bone-in pork chops (specifically, rib chops or loin chops) because they have the most flavor. But if you prefer the leaner boneless pork chops, those will work too. Just be extra-careful not to overcook them.
How do Chinese make pork so tender? ›
How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.
How long do you leave baking soda on pork chops? ›
Alternatively, a baking soda mixture generally takes between 15 and 20 minutes to tenderize the cuts of meat. It also carries less risk of harming the meat should the cuts sit in a baking soda for longer. As a result, a baking soda wet brine can be more forgiving and foolproof than a traditional saltwater brine.
How do you make pork soft and tender? ›
Sear the pork, then bake it.
For instance, you might sear your pork in a hot pan on the stove (or on the grill), then transfer your pork to the oven (or move it to a cooler area of the grill and close the lid) for the rest of its cooking time. The indirect heat is vital to keeping your pork tender and juicy.
What should I soak my pork chops in? ›
Mix milk with first amount of salt (2 teaspoons) and allow pork chops to soak in this mixture for as long as you'd like, about an hour to maybe four works well. Overnight soaking will result in too much moisture & your breading will fall off. Remove pork chops from brine, and set aside.
Does soaking pork chops in salt water make them tender? ›
A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.
How can I tenderize pork chops quickly? ›
Place meat in a dish and cover with water. Remove meat and stir roughly 4 level Tbs of baking soda into the water. Put meat back in and soak (in refrigerator) overnight. Rinse THOROUGHLY and cook.
I am SO happy to have my friend Bet from Bet on Dinner with us again today! She is just the best. Betalways shares the yummiest and easiest recipes. If you haven’t seen her 21-Day Fix Meal Plan – you MUST click HERE. Such an absolutely doable, delicious way to get healthy fast. Plus, Bet is a friend of mine from high school and I just love her heart and the way she sees things. Today’s recipe is one of our family’s favorites! I know you will love it AND my friend, Bet!
