Meaty pork chops seared to perfection in a sweet & sour glaze! These pork chops are tender, juicy, and most importantly, flavorful! The rich and sour balsamic vinegar paired with sweet brown sugar creates a glaze that coats the chops in richness! They surely will not disappoint!

fOOD wITH mEMORIES

It is something about eating something you haven’t had in a long time. Anytime I eat something that I haven’t had in a while, I kind of spazz out a little. It really shows how greedy I actually am. Plus, all of the memories that I have associated with that food come back to me immediately.

All that to say, that is exactly how I felt when I saw a pack of pork chops in my freezer. I hadn’t had a good pork chop in about a year. So, when I saw them, I had to put together a recipe! My Easy Seared Balsamic Pork Chops made my day! I’m sure they will make your day too! 

TO PORK OR NOT TO PORK

Now I know that people do not eat pork for various reasons (i.e. religious, health, etc.). Of course, everyone can choose to eat what they want. My biggest issue with pork is that a lot of the time, it is overcooked.

Pork can get dry and tough very fast. I always suggest marinating or brining leaner cuts of pork. It adds some extra moisture to the pork creating an even better final product. I suggest doing the same thing with pork chops.

For this recipe, I did not. This meant that I had to be careful with how long I cooked them. Pork should only be cooked until it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Once I seared the pork chops for color, I turned down my heat to keep them moist. When the chops hit around 130 - 135 degrees F, that's when I began to baste them. The hot glaze is going to continue to cook the pork while keeping it moist. 

HOW SHOULD I SEASON the Pork Chops?

With any meat or poultry, seasoning is essential! Making sure that every single part of the chop is fully seasoned will ultimately determine how the chop tastes in the end. I personally stick to one or two salt seasonings. The rest includes spices and ground or powdered seasonings or herbs.

I made this seasoning list pretty simple in this recipe. The list of seasonings is pretty accessible in any grocery store. But, I’ll list some of my favorite salt-based and salt-free seasonings and herbs below.

SALT-BASED SEASONINGS:

• Season-All or Seasoning Salt

• Old Bay

• Kosher Salt

• Montreal Chicken or Steak Seasoning

• Goya Adobo

• Homemade or Store Bought BBQ Rubs

SALT-FREE SEASONINGS & HERBS:

• Onion Powder

• Garlic Powder

• Italian Seasoning

• Mrs. Dash Original

• Dried Herbs

• Smoked Paprika

Seared Balsamic Pork Chop Ingredients:

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them. 

• Pork Chops: If you do not have these, please read the recipe again. I used bone-in, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick pork chops. Bone-in pork chops have a lot more flavor in my opinion compared to boneless pork chops. 

• EVOO: Good old extra virgin olive oil will do perfectly for this recipe. But, any good cooking oil will work (i.e. grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.)

• Onion & Garlic Powder: I put these two seasonings on pretty much everything! Garlic and onion on anything make it better in my opinion. The amount of flavor that they give is amazing to me. 

• Paprika: I only used paprika for some added color on the chops. When the chops sear, the paprika creates this beautiful golden reddish-brown color. When paired with the glaze, the color gets even richer. 

• Ground Black Pepper: Ground black pepper should be a standard in any recipe. It’s one of the basics that can make a difference in a recipe. But, do not use too much. 

• Kosher Salt: I seasoned this recipe to taste with kosher salt. Salt makes the difference in this recipe. Make sure to season the chops well with salt. Salt is used as an enhancement to bring out the natural flavors of foods.  

• Balsamic Vinegar: I would usually suggest getting good quality balsamic vinegar. But, a basic balsamic vinegar will work since it will be turned into a glaze. Save the quality balsamic vinegar for more important recipes. 

• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar helps to cut the acidity in the glaze. It also helps to thicken the glaze. You can also use honey or orange juice. 

• Minced Garlic: The minced garlic adds some additional flavor to the glaze. You only need a tablespoon.

• Fresh Rosemary: The herbaceousness that the rosemary added to this glaze was amazing. It made the glaze fragrant as well. I used fresh, but if you only have dried, add 1 tsp of dried rosemary.

• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. It is only used to finish the sauce. It also makes the glaze slightly creamy. 

How to Make Seared Balsamic Pork Chops:

Now that we have gotten the ingredients out of the way, we get into actually making these delicious pork chops! I had made some balsamic glaze the other day. It was so good that I had to make some more. I had some extra pork chops in my freezer; and, I thought that they would pair perfectly together.

After eating these, this combination has become one of my all-time favorites!

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.

• Step 1: Make your Seasoning Mix. Mix all of your seasonings together in a small bowl. Make sure to add the amount of salt that is best for you (season to taste). I used about 2 tbsps.

• Step 2: Season Pork Chops. Take 2 tbsp of the EVOO and rub it on both sides of the pork chops. Season both sides of the pork chops. Press the seasoning into the chops. Do not rub.

• Step 3: Make the Glaze. Allow the chops to rest for about 5 minutes at room temperature. While the chops are resting, combine all of the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan.

• Step 4: Allow Glaze to Simmer. Place the saucepan on medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Reduce to heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.

• Step 5: Sear the Pork Chops. While the glaze is simmering, add 2 tbsp of EVOO to a large skillet and place on medium-high heat. Begin adding the pork chops. Sear the chops on both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. 

• Step 6: Baste the Pork Chops in the Glaze. Finish the glaze with 2 tbsp of butter. When the chops have been seared, begin adding in the glaze. Baste the chops in the glaze on medium heat until the chops are fully coated and reach an internal temperature of 140 - 145 degrees.  

• Step 7: Plate & Serve! Serve the chops immediately. Plate them with any extra glaze left at the bottom of the skillet. Enjoy!

I’d love to hear your feedback about these EASY Seared Balsamic Pork Chops. Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

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