How to Pan-Fry Pork Chops

Season the pork chops before you cook them. Keep it simple with salt, pepper and a little onion or garlic powder, or try a Cajun rub, which adds a little heat with cayenne pepper and chili powder. If you prefer something sweeter, try combining nutmeg, cinnamon and a little brown sugar.

Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and warm the pan until the oil slides easily around the bottom.

Place the seasoned pork chops into the heated pan and brown them for a minute on each side. Flip the chops with tongs rather than piercing them with a fork, which causes the juices to run out of the meat.

Turn the heat down to a medium setting and cook the pork chops, covered, for three to 10 minutes of total cooking time, depending on the thickness of the chop. A very thin, 1/4-inch pork chop will cook quickly, while chops 1 inch or thicker will require slightly longer. Flip the pork halfway through the cooking time.

Test the temperature of the pork chops with a kitchen thermometer. Pork should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking pork much past this temperature will result in a tough piece of meat. Some prefer to remove the pork from the pan when it hits 155 degrees, allowing it to rest for five to10 minutes before serving. The meat will continue to cook internally while it rests, bringing the temperature up to a safe range for eating, along with keeping it moist and tender.