Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pork Chops
Pork chops get a bad rap because most pork chop recipes result in dry, tough, hockey-puck-like pieces of meat that no one gets excited about. But these Glazed Pork Chops are different. They’re tender, juicy, and done in just a few minutes, which makes them perfect for weeknight dinners. What’s the secret? Cooking fast and coating the pork chops in a smoky, spicy, sugar glaze, which helps hold in the moisture. So you can stop looking. You’ve found the last pork chop recipe you’ll need!
Post updated 5-26-16
Quick and Easy Glazed Pork Chops
It’s All About the Rub…
For these glazed pork chops, I made a basic rub out of brown sugar, garlic, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and a little salt for good measure. This rub is super easy, FULL of flavor, and naturally creates a sticky sweet glaze in the pan. This awesome rub works equally as well on chicken!
What is the Best Pork Cut?
I find this recipe works best with center cut boneless pork chops that are between 1/2 to 1-inch thick. Thin cut pork chops will cook too quickly and will likely dry out. Bone-in pork chops take much longer to cook, and the glaze may burn by the time the chops cook through. So, stick to center cut boneless for best results!
What to Serve with Pork Chops
Pork chops are a classic comfort food, so comfort food side dishes are a natural match. Comfort food recipes like Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Green Bean Casserole, or Mustard Greens would be awesome. If you want to go with something lighter, Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes would be great, as would Roasted Broccoli, Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad, Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad, or even an Apple Dijon, and Kale Salad.
See This Pork Chop Recipe in Action:
Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.12)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.05)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 4 thick cut boneless pork chops ($5.97)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Remove the pork chops from their package and rub the seasoning mixture over all sides of each chop. The moisture from the meat will help the seasoning to adhere to the surface.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over a medium flame. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the pork chops. Cook the chops for about 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
- If your chops are greater than one-inch thick, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for another 5-10 minutes to finish cooking. Test the chops with a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached 145ºF. Cook longer if needed.
- Dredge the chops through the thick sauce in the bottom of the pan just before serving.
Video
Look at that juicy, glazed goodness… 🤤
Check out this glaze used with chicken in my Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken Thighs.
How to Make Glazed Pork Chops – Step By Step Photos
In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Rub the spice mix over both sides of four thick-cut boneless pork chops. The moisture from the meat will dissolve the sugar and help the spices adhere to the surface.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Place the chops in the pan and cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until browned.
Depending on the thickness of the chops, you may need to transfer the skillet to the oven (only if using an oven-safe skillet) to finish cooking. These chops were about an inch thick and were cooked through once browned on both sides. Any thicker and you may need to finish in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes to make sure the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dredge the chops in the glaze that has formed in the skillet before serving. You can also tilt the skillet and scoop it up with a spoon, then drizzle it over the chops.
😍😍😍 These glazed pork chops have me mesmerized!
I added a little chopped parsley just for kicks (or color, actually), but it’s not necessary.
Thanks so much for sharing this!!
I love this recipe so much, but i keep burning it! Ive used different ovens with the same result each time, brown sugar from the black lagoon. My spice rub insists on burning almost as soon as it touches the pan, even though ive tried turning it down to closer to medium low it still burns. I wouldnt mind being able to enjoy this the way its meant to, im just glad my SO still loves the dish even when its burnt. (Porkchops dont come out burnt, if anything they come out undercooked)
What type of skillet are you using? And do you perhaps have an oven thermometer? They’re pretty reasonable and can be very helpful. In my previous house our oven ran 10 degrees hotter than what it was set at!
This is my favorite brown sugar pork chops recipe! The cayenne pepper really sets It Off! So good
I made these pork chops with the Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes as recommended in the post as well as the Honey Balsamic Carrots and it was hands down the best meal I’ve ever made in my life! It was smoky and sweet with just the right amount of heat. I couldn’t get enough! On a side note I used the Splenda brown sugar blend to cut down on the calories and it turned out wonderfully.
I made it and I didn’t use the full amount of cayenne and pepper. It was still a bit spicy. I cooked the pork in an iron skillet and it came out perfectly.
I made some more glaze with honey(2-3tblspns), a few table spoons of water in a small sauce pot. Thw was a bit liquidy and tasted good. I added about 2 tablespoons(or to taste) of remaining glaze from the iron skillet and dipped the pork in it and put it in the oven to finish cooking since I used thick pork. Then I drizzled the extra on the pork before serving. It came out delicious.