Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Midwest Apple-Cider Glaze
Juicy pork chops pan-seared and finished with a sweet and tangy apple-cider glaze inspired by Midwest regional flavors. This American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs bone-in pork chops, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces, about 6 oz each bone-in pork chops
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 4 bone-in pork chops dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Add the pork chops to the skillet and sear for 4 minutes without moving, until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Remove chops and set aside.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the skillet. Once melted, pour in 1 cup apple cider, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes until the glaze thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Stir in 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, return pork chops to the skillet, spoon glaze over them, and cook for 1 more minute to warm through. Serve pork chops drizzled with the apple-cider glaze.






