These brown sugar pork chops are seared to golden brown perfection and bathed in a garlic, butter and brown sugar sauce. The absolute BEST way to eat pork chops!
Looking for a quick and easy way to use up those pork chops in your fridge? Pork chops in brown sugar sauce is a family favorite that always gets rave reviews! Serve your chops with side dishes such as roasted pumpkin, oven baked potatoes and sauteed cabbage for a memorable meal.
I get asked all the time, what is the best way to cook pork chops? And I always respond by promising to send people the recipe for these amazingly delicious brown sugar pork chops! This recipe is quick and easy, and you probably have all the ingredients you need to make it sitting right in your kitchen.
Brown sugar pork chops ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need pork chops, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar, Italian seasoning and parsley.
How do you make brown sugar pork chops?
Start by searing the pork chops in olive oil until they are golden brown. Remove the pork from the skillet, then add butter, brown sugar, garlic and Italian seasoning. Return the chops to the pan, and spoon the sauce over the top. Bake until the internal temperature of the pork is at least 145 degrees F. Remove the pork from the oven, then add a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve.
Tips for the perfect dish
- For this recipe I prefer to use bone in pork chops cut about 1 inch thick. Bone in pork chops are great because the bone really helps to keep the pork juicy, and there’s less of a risk of it overcooking and becoming dry. That being said, you absolutely can use boneless pork chops here, just watch them carefully to make sure they don’t overcook!
- Be sure to use an oven safe skillet so you can transfer the pork from the stove to the oven. If you don’t have a pan that can go in the oven, you can move the chops to a baking dish after they’re seared.
- Leftover pork chops will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For extra tender chops, soak your pork in my pork chop brine before you sear them. You can also add more flavor with my pork chop marinade.
- Serve your meat with a side of potatoes, and I also like to add a steamed vegetable or green salad.
Recipe FAQs
Pork chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The easiest way to gauge if your meat is done is to insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the pork – be sure that the thermometer is not touching the bone! Once you’ve reached the correct temperature, remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes before you slice it.
While you can technically bake pork chops without browning them first, I do not recommend it. Browning the chops adds so much flavor and also the texture of the seared crust. It would take away from the flavor of the dish to put the pork in the oven without searing it.
The most important step to tender pork chops is to make sure you don’t overcook them! A thermometer is critical for success. It’s also a good idea to introduce a sauce during the cooking process to help keep them moist, such as the butter sauce in this recipe.
Flavor Variations
While this recipe is fabulous as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: No pork chops on hand? This technique will also work well with boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Vegetables: Feel free to saute some veggies in the garlic sauce before you add the pork chops back in. Some great options include spinach, chopped asparagus, or sliced mushrooms.
- Flavorings: Amp up the flavor of the sauce with additions such as a splash of heavy cream, soy sauce, a little fresh lemon juice or lemon zest, green olives, capers, fresh herbs, or finish the dish with some parmesan cheese.
Even my kids adore these pork chops, they ask for them every week. Whether you’re a pro at cooking pork chops, or are just looking to branch out a little bit with your dinner time offerings, you’re sure to enjoy this recipe.
More pork recipes you’ll enjoy
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
- Apple Pork Chops
- 15 Boneless Pork Chop Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Pork Scallopini
Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone in pork chops
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe pan over medium high heat.
- Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the pork chops to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until browned.
- Remove the pork from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the garlic, brown sugar and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Place the pork chops back in the pan and spoon the sauce over the top.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until pork is cooked to at least 145 degrees F.
- Spoon the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the pork chops and sprinkle with parsley. Serve, garnished with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can substitute equal parts of dried oregano, dried basil and dried thyme.
- Be sure to use an oven safe skillet so you can transfer the pork from the stove to the oven. If you don’t have a pan that can go in the oven, you can move the chops to a baking dish after they’re seared.
Really, Really Yummy! Love the one pot prep and cooking . I don’t particularly care for Pork but the sauce makes this delicious! Served with Jasmine Rice and Roasted Broccoli. Added to our rotation. THANKS!
WO0oOw! I was very skeptical how juicy this would be because I hate pork chops due to it never being juicy no matter how many different recipes I use. My parents wanted some pork chops for dinner so I once again wanted to try a new recipe because I have never used a pork chop recipe more than once and found this. This was very easy to cook, I can remember the recipe and cook it again without having to look this up. This is the winner winner pork chop dinner recipe that I will ever use AGAIN for the first time!!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Came out perfect so good!
These were so gooodddd
Absolutely delicious! My whole family loved it, even my picky teenager. I don’t cook pork chops often and usually overcook them. With this recipe, they came out perfect!
Wow. My husband and I loved these pork chops. Thanks so much. Dinner at the Zoo. Great name! Lol
I’m a terrible cook and even this turned out so good for me. My wife is thrilled!! 10/10 will make again!!
So, so very good!! I made as directed, but doubled the butter and brown sugar (we like sauce!) and I didn’t have any issues with the sauce burning. Served over Minnesota wild rice. Mmm, mmm good!
10/10 will cook again!
These pork chops were soooo good!! I just prepared them tonight. I used four, 1 inch thick, bone-in pork chops. I browned them on the stove for 5 minutes per side. I cooked them in the oven for 10 minutes. These were really delicious and tender! I did not brine them either. Thank you so much for the recipe. My 15-year-old wants more tomorrow!
Fabulous recipe! My husband and son LOVE it! First time I made it I didn’t get sauce on top of chops. Whatever is in skillet burns black. So go light on butter to make more of a paste that sticks to top of chop. It makes an awesome crust that doesn’t burn and is delicious!!! I cooked 5min each side and 10min in oven.
Excellent meal, soft and tender GREAT Flavor.
My husband loves this !!!! Absolutely great recipe
My husband loves them to I just over cooked them a little bit they were dry. But flavor was great but I’m cooking them again But they will be juicy.
I seared for 3 min per side and baked for 10 min at 400•. They were perfect bone -in inch thick pork chops. Sauce was delicious too. Keeping this recipe.
Had a couple of thick chops that I had bought for the first time ever, and googled a recipe for them. Came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. It was delicious and easy to make, my sauce wasn’t as pretty looking as these pictures but still delicious and will be making again and again. Thank you
I was looking for a recipe to spruce up my pork chops for dinner since I had a craving for steakhouse quality. I used unsalted butter in this recipe. This recipe was amazing! Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
The recipe was delicious. However, the brown sugar sauce was black, and I couldn’t use it as a sauce. Do you cover it while it’s in the oven?
The sugar in the pan or on the pork chops? I don’t cover it, but you could if you wanted. How far was your pan from the heat source in the oven? I always cook mine on the center rack.
Delicious! right now I’m having trouble finding food I can eat because I can’t eat garlic, onion, wwheat, or soy, and this solved my problem! Plus it was one of the easiest things to make!
OMG…absolutely delicious! Although I was missing a couple of ingredients, made anyway. LOVED IT! However, next time I’m going to double the recipe, in the skillet for the sauce! That is what makes the dish! I like to sop it up with rolls or biscuits. I mixed some in with green beans and ohhhhh…yummy! THIS IS going into my favorite recipe file and will be making this quite frequently! Thank you so much for posting!
This has become my go to pork chop recipe so easy and really delicious! Thank you!
love it!!!so did my son.. will be making this every week!!!
Just finished dinner with the family and all I can say is I wish I had made more. Delicious! Definitely a repeat offender for my recipes.
Turned out delicious. I am going to use this sauce for roasted salmon next.