My 5-Ingredient Pork Chops Are So Perfect, Everyone Devours Them in Minutes
If you’re on a tight timeline for dinner, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got you covered with 30-minute dinners that are ready in less time than it takes to listen to your favorite podcast. One of my favorite quick-cooking ingredients is pork chops because it works well with some of my favorite flavors like honey and garlic, spicy peppercorns, and brown sugar. In this brown sugar pork chops recipe, I’ll teach you how to make pork that’s golden-brown on the outside but still juicy on the inside. The real star of this recipe, though, is the brown sugar glaze made with soy sauce and rosemary — you’ll want to serve these chops with mashed potatoes or a hunk of bread to soak up every drop.
Why You’ll Love It
You only need 5 ingredients. This dinner comes together with just 5 ingredients (plus butter, salt, pepper, and water which we consider freebies), proving that you don’t need a long ingredient list for a satisfying, flavorful meal.
It’s a 30-minute dinner. Sit down to a plate of meaty pork chops with a sweet-and-savory glaze in 30 minutes flat.
Key Ingredients in Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Pork chops: Both pork rib and loin chops work for this recipe, but remember that the timing is based on 1-inch thick, bone-in pork chops. Thinner and boneless chops will cook more quickly, while thicker chops may take slightly longer. Your best option is to use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the chops’ temperature. The pork chops are ready when the center of the thickest part registers at least 145°F.
Brown sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar work well in this recipe to add molasses flavor and reduce to a sticky glaze.
Soy sauce: This adds savory balance to the brown sugar glaze. Tamari can be substituted if you want to make the dish gluten-free.
Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary is a nice garnish, but it also infuses the glaze with an earthy, herbal aroma.
What to Serve with Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Brown Sugar Pork Chops Recipe
Thick and juicy pork chops in a sweet and savory brown sugar glaze.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (about 1-inch thick) center-cut, bone-in pork rib chops (10 to 12 ounces each)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
2 (3-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
Instructions
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Stir 1 1/4 teaspoons paprika, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a small bowl. Pat 4 bone-in pork chops dry with paper towels, then season all over with the spice mixture.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 of the pork chops and cook until well browned and an internal temperature of at least 145°F, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter to the pan and repeat browning the remaining 2 pork chops and transferring to the plate.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and any accumulated juices on the pork chop plate. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
Serve the pork chops with the sauce spooned over the top, garnished with more fresh rosemary leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
Ball Just Dropped the Most Beautiful Mason Jars for Its 140th Anniversary ("So Iconic!")
