Pan-Seared Pork Chops: Pull at 140°F for Juicy Chops

Bone-in chops, salt, butter, 4–5 minutes a side. Pull at 140°F and let the rest carry it to 145°F. Chops taken to 155 are the dry gray pork everyone remembers.

Serves 1. One serving: 1 bone-in pork chop (10 oz) + 1 tbsp butter.

Ingredients

• Bone-in pork chops
• Salt
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Butter

Steps

1. Salt the chops well on every side. Add black pepper. Leave them at room temperature 20 minutes.
2. Pat the chops dry with paper towels. The salt pulls water to the surface, and a wet chop steams instead of browning. Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chops 4–5 minutes per side.
3. Take them off the heat when the thermometer reads 140°F. Rest them 5 minutes: let them sit on a board, don't cut them yet. They keep cooking a few degrees while they rest, up to 145°F.

Keep it juicy (optional, recommended): Salt the chops the night before and leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge. The salt seasons deeper and the dry surface browns faster, so the inside stays juicier.

Air fryer version

Air fryer, 400°F · 12–15 min

1. Pat the chops dry. Salt and pepper both sides. Leave them at room temperature 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Put the chops in the basket, not touching. Cook 7 minutes. Flip them. Cook 5–8 minutes more for a 1-inch bone-in chop. Take them out when the thermometer reads 140°F in the middle, away from the bone.
3. Put butter on top. Rest them 5 minutes: let them sit, don't cut them yet. They keep cooking up to 145°F.

Per serving

497 calories · 49 g protein · 32 g fat · 0 g net carbs (USDA FoodData Central, for the serving above)

Food safety

USDA's safe minimum for pork chops is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Pulling at 140°F and resting 5 minutes lands right on it. Every cut's pull temp and USDA minimum is on our meat temperature chart.