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    Home » Recipes » Main Course Recipes

    Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

    Feb 1, 2018 | by Jennifer | Last Updated: Jul 2, 2021

    Jump to Recipe

    These delicious, thick Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce are one of my favourite ways to enjoy a pork chop dinner.

    Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

    It's been a long while since I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner. Not because I don't care, but because, without fail, he would always say "pork chops". Yes, this is a man who is married to a food blogger and that's all he's got. So yeah, I don't ask anymore, but I do occasionally, actually make pork chops :)

    This easy pork chop recipe is one of my favourites. The Peppercorn Sauce is plate-licking good and it's perfect with the chops. It's also very tweak-able, by switching up the wine (or omitting it altogether) and adding as much pepper as you're comfortable with.

    When it comes to pork chops though, I quickly learned that the secret to a great pork chop is to brine them. Brining pork chops in a salt/water solution, changes the cellular structure of the meat, resulting in a more tender finished pork chop. And if you're ever dug in to a pork chop and found it a bit like shoe leather, you'll appreciate that!

    I've never been much of a briner, but I've discovered the benefit that this simple preparation step can have on pork chops, so I try to plan for a little brine whenever pork chops are on the menu.

    Jump to:
    • How to Brine Pork Chops
    • How Long to Brine Pork Chops
    • What to Do After You Brine Your Pork Chops
    • Add Some Flavour to Your Brine!
    • Cook's Notes
    • Recipe
    • More Pork Chop Recipes You Might Like ...
    • Comments, Questions and Reviews

    How to Brine Pork Chops

    My basic formula for a brine is 1/4 cup kosher salt with 4 cups water. I like to add a bit of sugar to mine, as well (to balance out the saltiness). In order to get the salt and sugar to dissolve, you'll want to mix them first with boiling water, then cool it down with some cold water. So here's how it breaks down then ...

    1/4 cup kosher salt (or 2 Tbsp fine table salt)
    2 Tbsp brown sugar
    2 cups boiling water
    2 cups cold water

    Dissolve the salt and brown sugar with 2 cups of boiling water, then add 2 cups of cold water to the mixture, which will cool it. Check the temperature of the brine and be sure your brine is not too warm when adding your meat. Allow to cool a bit more if necessary.

    Add brine to a container deep enough to hold all the brine and allow you to submerge your pork chops. You may need to put a weight on top to keep them down in the brining liquid. Cover with plastic or foil wrap and always refrigerate while brining.

    How Long to Brine Pork Chops

    The ideal time to brine nice 1-inch + thick chops would be about 8 - 10 hours, so perhaps you start the brining process in the morning for that evening's' dinner. That's the ideal and as we all know, things don't always go as planned. So know that you can brine for as little as 30 minutes, if that's all the time you have to work with. A little brining is better than no brining. On the other end of the spectrum, it is not recommended to brine your pork thick chops any more than about 12 hours. Large cuts of pork (such as a pork loin roast) can brine longer, but smaller cuts are best kept under 12 hours. Thinner pork chops should ideally brine about 4 hours.

    Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

    What to Do After You Brine Your Pork Chops

    Once your pork chops have brined, rinse several times to remove any surface salt and dry well. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, to come to room temperature. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook. If you like, you can dredge your pork chops in flour, which will give your fried pork chops a nice crust and colour.

    Add Some Flavour to Your Brine!

    If you like, you can replace some of the water in your brine with other liquids to add flavour to your pork chops, such as beer, cider, wine or vinegar. You can also add fresh herbs to the brining liquid, such as rosemary, sage, thyme etc. For this peppercorn pork, a few peppercorns added to the brining liquid would be a great idea.

    Cook's Notes

    While I'm sold on the benefits of brining my pork chops, it's an optional step. As noted above though, if you can squeeze in even a short brining time (even 30-45 minutes), it's worth it.

    Look for nice thick pork chops for this one. Centre cut pork chops are the nicest, as they have a nice solid piece of meat.

    If you own a cast iron skillet, it should definitely be your cooking pan of choice for this dish :)

    As mentioned above, you can vary the wine depending on what you have on hand. White or red is fine, or even some nice dry Marsala wine works well. Same with the broth choice. I prefer chicken broth in this one myself, but beef is also nice.

    Adjust the amount of pepper to your taste. Do be sure to crush the peppercorns though. You can use a mortar and pestle if you have one or if not, put the peppercorns in a little ziploc bag and whack them with a rolling pin. Don't whack too much though. You don't want powdered pepper. You really just want them not to be whole. Large pieces are fine.

    Dairy free? This sauce is still lovely without the cream at the end, so if you're avoiding dairy, just skip it!

    Don't forget to salt your sauce at the end. While pepper is the star here, the sauce needs a good salting to really round out the flavours.

    Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

    Recipe

    pork chops with peppercorn sauce in pan with fork

    Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

    Beautiful thick bone-in pork chops, served with a flavourful peppercorn sauce.
    Author: Jennifer
    4.9 stars from 16 ratings
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 2 servings

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 one-inch thick bone-in centre cut pork chops, , brined if you like *See Notes
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 2 Tbsp flour

    Sauce:

    • 1 Tbsp butter
    • 1/4 cup very finely chopped shallots, or onion
    • 2 - 3 tsp crushed peppercorns, black, green or red or a mixture
    • 1/4 - 1/3 cup red or white wine, or dry Marsala wine
    • 1 cup chicken or beef broth
    • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
    • 2 - 3 thyme sprigs
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream, or lighter cream and add more thickener
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

    To thicken gravy (add only as much as needed):

    • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
    • 1 Tbsp water
    Prevent screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400F.
    • Heat olive oil and butter in an oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat dry pork chops and season with salt and pepper. Scatter flour on plate and dredge pork chops lightly on both sides. Sear chops in hot skillet until lightly golden on both sides. Pop the skillet with pork chops into preheated oven and cook until pork reaches 135F, about 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness of chops). Note that this is a little undercooked because it will cook a bit further on the stove-top and a bit more as it rests, so it will get to the recommended 145F in the end.
    • Remove from oven and place over medium-high heat on the stove-top. Quickly brown the chops on the stove-top, then remove to a plate to rest.
    • To the hot skillet, add 1 Tbsp butter, onions and peppercorns and stir until onions are golden, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth, Dijon mustard and thyme sprigs. Reduce heat to medium and allow sauce to simmer/reduce for a few minutes. Add cream and then salt and pepper, to taste. To thicken gravy, combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add a bit at a time to your hot gravy, stirring, until desired thickness is achieved.
    • Spoon hot sauce over pork chops. Finish with a generous grind of freshly ground pepper.

    Notes

    Brining pork chops is a great way to improve the finished texture of your chops. See the Cook's Notes on this recipes blog post for complete instructions on how to brine pork chops!

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 717mg | Calcium: 73mg | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Vitamin A: 950IU | Potassium: 962mg | Cholesterol: 234mg | Calories: 578kcal | Saturated Fat: 19g | Fat: 41g | Protein: 51g | Carbohydrates: 16g | Iron: 2.4mg

    Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
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    Meet the Author:
    Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!

    I love to share the classic recipes that I have enjoyed for years, as well as newer discoveries, that have become fast favourites.
    More about me here ...


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marianne says

      August 03, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Omg these were divine! I ended up making six chops and was planning on doubling the gravy but decided against it at the last minute. I thought I made a huge mistake but it turned out just fine! I will be making these again and again! 👍😋

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 03, 2020 at 7:18 pm

        So glad to hear, Marianne :) Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Marianne says

      July 30, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      I’m going to need to make 4 chops. Will it be necessary to double the gravy? I’m planning this for next week. I’ve never made pork chops before and it looks amazing. Can’t wait!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        July 30, 2020 at 7:33 pm

        Hi Marianne, I would double the gravy. I think it's always better to have too much gravy, than not enough :)

        Reply
        • Marianne says

          August 03, 2020 at 12:39 pm

          Ok thanks!

          Reply
    3. DonnaB says

      April 23, 2020 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      Thank you Jennifer for posting such a fabulous recipe! My husband and I absolutely loved this dish. He told me five times how much he really loved the sauce. :) Keep the great recipes coming!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        April 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm

        So glad to hear, Donna :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    4. Mary Perez says

      January 22, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      Made this tonight for didn’t have time to brine the chops. These chops were a 10. They were exceptionally wonderful. I was even able to make adjustments for my weight watchers points program. This will become a staple in our house. Thank you sooo much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        January 23, 2020 at 8:15 am

        So happy to hear, Mary! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
    5. Claire Van Allen says

      January 05, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Did not need to thicken sauce.

      Maybe add a note about when to add the Dijon mustard

      Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        January 06, 2020 at 9:02 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Claire and thanks for the heads up re the Dijon. I have fixed that in the recipe card :) Thanks!

        Reply
    6. Valerie says

      November 09, 2019 at 10:41 pm

      I had company in for dinner tonight and served this dish, with baby potatoes, glazed carrots, asparagus and green beans. I used chicken broth only and added chopped mushrooms, it was a big success. Everyone loved it. The sauce was so very tasty. I marinated it for about 7 hrs. It’s certainly a keeper.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 10, 2019 at 9:28 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Valerie! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
    7. Amanda says

      November 03, 2019 at 7:29 pm

      5 stars
      My hubby and I both loved this recipe! I used thick center cut boneless chops, brined as recommended! I doubled the recipe, except the cooking wine (I used cooking sherry). I used a dash of ground thyme and regular mustard, because that’s what I had on hand. I wouldn’t sprinkle extra salt next time, the brine adds plenty. I served with mashed red skin potatoes and green beans. We will definitely add this to the regular rotation! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 04, 2019 at 8:34 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Amanda :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
      • Heather says

        November 11, 2019 at 6:13 pm

        5 stars
        This was a hit for my family. So delicious, I could drink the sauce! Will definitely make again and again.

        Reply
        • Jennifer says

          November 11, 2019 at 6:36 pm

          So glad to hear, Heather! I could drink it, too :) Thanks!

          Reply
      • Lucy says

        September 27, 2020 at 9:30 am

        Can this dish be made 1 day before and warmed up?

        Reply
    8. Linda says

      September 07, 2019 at 12:04 am

      5 stars
      Absolute perfection, made your recipe tonight for dinner. My husband gave it a keeper status, which is saying alot. The brine is the key. Left out the thyme, but that was all (didn't have) thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 07, 2019 at 9:32 am

        So glad you both enjoyed it :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    9. Rick says

      February 02, 2019 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      Made this last night for a dinner party of six . Excellent, I have shared the recipe to two of the dinner guests so far today. I cut up a pork loin and set it in the brine for about seven hours, they were thick. End result was perfectly tender and very tasty. Thank You for sharing.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 03, 2019 at 9:33 am

        Glad to hear, Rick! Thanks :)

        Reply
    10. Megan says

      January 22, 2019 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and used tenderloin instead of chops. Fantastic flavor profile and not too challenging for an intermediate (at best) chef. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        January 23, 2019 at 8:22 am

        Sounds great, Megan. So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks :)

        Reply
    11. Joe says

      January 07, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      4 stars
      I have made this sauce with several wines. I do prefer the white wine as the red wine causes the sauce to become a purplish shade. They both taste fantastic however.

      Reply
    12. Pam says

      November 27, 2018 at 5:57 pm

      5 stars
      I forgot to add the stars!!?

      Reply
    13. Pam says

      November 27, 2018 at 5:55 pm

      My family rated this a 10 and a keeper! I used smaller boneless pork chops and took them out at 140*, let the sauce reduce and put them back in for 5 minutes. That was the only change.... So, thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 27, 2018 at 7:18 pm

        So glad to hear Pam! Thanks :)

        Reply
        • Pam says

          November 27, 2018 at 9:02 pm

          5 stars
          Honestly, they’re still talking about it. They never do that! Happy Holidays, Jennifer!

          Reply
          • Jennifer says

            November 28, 2018 at 7:45 am

            Lol! Thanks and you, too :)

            Reply
    14. Tina says

      February 23, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      5 stars
      Forgot the five star rating!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 23, 2018 at 7:58 pm

        Thanks :)

        Reply
    15. Tina says

      February 23, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      The best pork chops I’ve ever tasted! Hard to believe they came from my kitchen....obviously a fantastic recipe ?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 23, 2018 at 7:58 pm

        So glad to hear, Tina! One of my favourites :)

        Reply
    16. Stacey says

      February 18, 2018 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today. I used center cut, no-bone, chops that were a little over an inch thick. I only had time to brine for 1.5 hours. They were amazing! Will definitely be making again....and again! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 19, 2018 at 7:37 am

        So glad to hear, Stacey :) Thanks!

        Reply
    17. Brenda says

      February 08, 2018 at 10:20 pm

      Oh my goodness...this is awesome. It has now become my favorite meal. Thank-you.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 09, 2018 at 8:06 am

        Thanks Brenda! So glad you enjoyed it :)

        Reply
    18. Laura | Tutti Dolci says

      February 02, 2018 at 10:29 pm

      I love your peppercorn sauce, such a delicious way to prepare pork chops!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 09, 2018 at 8:06 am

        Thanks Laura :)

        Reply
    19. Milena | Craft Beering says

      February 01, 2018 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      I will take the cream:) Pork chops are definitely a comfort food in my mind and your peppercorn sauce is simply outstanding!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 02, 2018 at 7:47 am

        I always do the cream too, of course :) Thanks Milena!

        Reply
    20. sue | theviewfromgreatisland says

      February 01, 2018 at 6:54 pm

      I want to face plant right into that Jennifer :)

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 02, 2018 at 7:47 am

        Lol! Thanks Sue :)

        Reply
    21. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      February 01, 2018 at 10:37 am

      Tom and I both LOVE peppercorn sauce Jennifer! Tom grew up eating pork chops and now I make them quite often and we both really enjoy them. I can't wait to try this dish!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 02, 2018 at 7:46 am

        Thanks Mary Ann and Rick grew up with pork chops, too (his Dad was a pig farmer!) Nostalgic food :)

        Reply
    22. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      February 01, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Pork chops are something that I don't think about having often, but when we do (or I see a yummy recipe this like one), I always think 'I gotta have them more often'. This looks delicious, Jennifer and that peppercorn sauce??? Pour it on!! Big YUM!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 02, 2018 at 7:46 am

        Thanks so much, Dawn :)

        Reply
    23. Chris Scheuer says

      February 01, 2018 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      So many great tips here Jennifer! I forget about pork chops but you're making me crave them!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 01, 2018 at 9:37 am

        Thanks Chris! If I ever come across some great, thick pork chops, I always pick them up. A nice change from beef.

        Reply
    24. [email protected] says

      February 01, 2018 at 8:54 am

      5 stars
      Such a perfect dinner! I am always in the mood for pork chops but I rarely do anything all that special with them...until now! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 01, 2018 at 9:36 am

        Thanks Annie! Unlike my husband, I'm not the biggest fan of just a hunk of meat, so I need a sauce. I always need a sauce :)

        Reply
    25. Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says

      February 01, 2018 at 8:33 am

      You know I'm loving this recipe Jennifer! What a gorgeous sauce - and loads of pepper and peppercorns is always a good idea. My husband always asks for meatloaf - or nachos - haha. Lovely!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 01, 2018 at 9:35 am

        Thanks Tricia! And yes, I still can't believe that's the only thing he can ever think of :)

        Reply
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