Paula Deen Bobby’s Special Seared and Baked Thick-Cut Pork Chops

Paula Deen Bobby's Special Seared and Baked Thick-Cut Pork Chops are an easy weeknight dinner made with bone-in pork chops, garlic and olive oil, ready in 25 minutes. Save this one-pan Southern pork chop dinner for Sunday supper, cold-weather nights or busy weeknights, because it goes from stovetop to oven.

Sear the chops until they turn deep paper-sack brown before they ever see the oven. That crust holds in the juices, so skipping it gives you pale, dry pork.

Paula rubs each chop with a cut clove of garlic instead of mincing it, so you get the flavor without burnt garlic bits in the pan. She also finishes the chops in the oven, which cooks a thick chop through without scorching the outside.

Paula Deen Bobby's Special Seared and Baked Thick-Cut Pork Chops

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Thick bone-in chops get a garlic rub, a hard sear in olive oil and a short bake in the same skillet. The result is a browned crust outside and juicy meat inside.

Ingredients

• 4 12-ounce bone-in pork chops
  

• 1 clove garlic
  

• salt
  

• Freshly ground black pepper
  

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  

Directions

• Preheat and rub: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the garlic clove in half, then rub each of the 4 pork chops all over with the cut sides.
• Season the chops: Sprinkle both sides of every chop with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Seasoning right before they hit the pan keeps the surface dry, so they brown better.
• Heat the oil: Pour 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until it shimmers before adding anything.
• Sear both sides: Lay the chops in the hot oil and sear for 3 minutes per side. They are ready to flip when they look paper-sack brown.
• Bake in the skillet: Move the whole skillet into the oven and cook the chops for 4 minutes more. Because they are thick, this short bake finishes the center without drying the edges.
• Rest and serve: Take the skillet out and let the chops stand for 5 minutes. Then serve them with the pan juices spooned over the top.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in?

Boneless chops work, but they cook faster and dry out more easily. Check them at 2 or 3 minutes in the oven instead of 4, and pull them as soon as the center is no longer pink.

Why do the chops need to rest for 5 minutes?

Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out on the plate. If you cut in right away, you will end up with a drier chop and a puddle in the skillet.

Can I make these chops without an ovenproof skillet?

Sear them in any heavy skillet, then move the chops to a sheet pan or baking dish for the oven step. You will lose a little of the pan juices, but the chops will bake just the same.

How do I store and reheat leftover pork chops?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm them in a 300°F oven until hot, since the microwave tends to toughen the meat.

What is the most common mistake with thick-cut pork chops?

Overcooking is the big one, because a thick chop goes from juicy to dry quickly. Stick to the sear and bake times, and let the chops rest before you cut into them.