These juicy, 5-Ingredient Orange Glazed Pork Chops are the perfect addition to your weekday or weekend menu. Dinner will be on the table before you know it.
It’s no secret I’m always looking for a solution to the classic family dinner dilemma – making a dish my kids will enjoy and one my husband and I will also love eating. I gravitate towards recipes I can adapt for my one picky eater and the palates of the rest of the family. It can be really challenging, as many of you know. I often pick a favorite flavor and use it as a starting point to create something healthy, with a taste everyone will enjoy eating.
My kids have always loved orange sauce with pork. It’s the perfect flavor combination and it makes these boneless pork chops stand out. The orange glaze has a simple, straightforward taste with a little bit of depth. It only takes a modest amount of sauce to make this meal stand out. And who doesn’t love using fresh orange juice in their cooking?
As you all know, making a juicy pork chop can be a challenge. If you’re like me, you’ve had your share of tough, dried out, chewy versions. However, when pork chops are cooked right, they’re one of the most perfectly tender and flavorful main courses. There are a few things you can do to guarantee tasty pork chops every time you cook.
Tips for Tender, Tasty and Juicy Pork Chops:
- Seasoning ~ Left alone, pork chops are bland and flavorless; seasoning generously with salt and pepper before cooking brings out the meat’s natural flavors.
- Timing ~ remove pork chops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Cold pork chops placed in a hot pan can create uneven cooking, resulting in meat that is overcooked on the outside and under cooked on the inside.
- Temperature ~ Most important!! Pork needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F (in the thickest part of the meat) to avoid any chance of foodborne illness. After this temperature, the chop will become increasingly leathery and tough. Use an instant read thermometer (this one is my favorite) to test the doneness of the meat.
- Rest ~ Allow the meat to rest a few minutes before diving in to eat. This allows the fiber of the meat to relax, giving you a juicier chop.
This is one delicious chop. The family is going to love this recipe.
Enjoy this fabulous meal.
5-Ingredient Orange Glazed Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs boneless pork chops, 3/4" thick
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, strained to remove pulp
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions
- Remove pork chops from the refrigerator and season generously with salt and pepper. Let them sit out for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, brown sugar and Dijon mustard. Set aside.
- Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown pork chops for about 4 minutes per side and check temperature with an instant read thermometer.
- Once the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches 140° F, remove from the pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil. The meat will continue to cook while resting and get to the necessary 145° F for consumption.
- Pour out any excess oil from the pan, but do not wipe it clean. Place pan back on medium-high heat and deglaze the pan with the orange juice mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Let boil, while stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour a little bit of glaze over each pork chop and serve immediately.
More Orange Flavored Pork Chop Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Orange Molasses Pork Chops
Tandoori-Orange Spiced Pork Chops
Baked Pork Chops Topped with Maple Orange Glaze
Skillet Pork Chops With Orange Garlic Sauce
Orange Soy Marinated Pork Chops
Two Years Ago: A Weekend at McMenamin’s Grand Lodge
Three Years Ago: Sloppy Joe Chili Cheese Fries
Five Years Ago: Beef Irish Stew
Six Years Ago: Pork Chops Marsala
Eight Years Ago: The Best Lemon Squares
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Such a great idea to start by picking a flavor that appeals to all the (picky) eaters! These look fabulous, and you’re so right about pork chops being so good when done right — looks like you scored big! Yum!
Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says
I love porkchops…and these look so delicious
Megan Keno says
I love this glaze! That sounds so amazing, I am definitly going to have to give this recipe a try!
Krista says
I love 5 ingredient recipes that look this amazing!!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
I can see where this will please the entire family. I just love pork and citrus together. Great family meal!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
These sound really good – I’m always looking for new ways to eat pork!
Serene @ House of Yumm says
That glaze!! It looks amazing and sounds delicious! Loving the citrus flavor that you added 🙂
Jamie (Bitchy Baker) says
Looks delicious!!!
Sandie Gallagher says
I have to try this..I bought a package of the thick chops from Costco and I agree..if you are not careful..they are tasteless and dry. !..and..the link for your “favorite” Instant Read Thermometer ” does not work.. can you tell me what one it is ?
Cathy says
Thanks for letting me know…I fixed the link.
Rosanne says
Can orange juice concentrate be used instead?
Cathy says
I have never tried that. I guess it would just have more of an orange flavor, but it could be over-powering. I would just dilute the concentrate as if you were making orange juice and then use required amount.
Phyllis says
I made this for company tonight – we all enjoyed it. Thank you. It was served with green beans and potatoes au gratin.
John says
Made this tonight. Great new take on the pork chop dinner. Pretty quick and easy too.
Cathy says
Glad you enjoyed it.
Donnie says
Love your recipes
Cathy says
Thank you.
Robin says
Glad I stumbled across this recipe! Super easy, quick and my picky eater approved. Probably because the glaze is full of sugar! But hey, it’s delicious so why not??!!!
Amanda Yule says
Is the orange juice from fresh oranges that u juiced or store bought orange juice?
Cathy says
fresh.