These Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Chops are everything you’d want in a pork chop dish and more! Made with a deliciously spicy, sweet brown sugar marinade, each bite has a burst of flavor. By cooking this recipe in a tasty glaze, you’ll easily create juicy, tender pork chops.
These delicious brown sugar garlic pork chops come out juicy and tender every time! The brown sugar glaze helps lock in the moisture as the meat cooks to create a restaurant-worthy recipe. This yummy recipe has a complex sweet, spicy, meaty flavor that pairs well with various side dishes.
Use leftover pork chops for the following recipes: Dutch Oven Pork Chops and Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful – The brown sugar marinade is spicy, sweet, and uber-delicious.
- Simple – You likely already have the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry/refrigerator.
- Sweet – The brown sugar complements the heat in this dish well.
- Umami-rich – Including soy sauce in these brown sugar garlic pork chops adds a yummy umami taste.
- Spicy – The red pepper flakes create a mouth-warming flavor that balances out the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Garlicky – Minced garlic cloves add a bold yet delightful flavor to this recipe.
- Perfect for summertime – The flavors present in these easy brown sugar pork chops make this dish great for summer BBQs.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Red Pepper Flakes: This little bit of spice pairs well with the brown sugar. If you are sensitive to spice, reduce to ½ teaspoon or omit.
- Pork Chops: You can use bone-in pork chops, but you will likely need to adjust the cooktime. Bone-in pork chops can take around 25 minutes to cook in the oven. Use a meat thermometer to determine when the boneless or bone-in pork chops are done.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Chops
Quick Overview
- Preheat the oven.
- Heat the glaze ingredients in a skillet.
- Boil for five minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Leave 3 tbs to the side.
- Toss the pork chops in the skillet.
- Bake.
- Brush the pork chops with the drippings.
Step by Step Instructions
Do not overcook the glaze, or it will be too thick to use.
Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temp of the pork chops.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large oven/stovetop safe skillet, stir together the butter, sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, garlic, paprika, and red pepper over medium heat.
Step 2: Bring to a rolling boil and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. The glaze should begin to thicken. Turn the heat off. Remove about 3 Tablespoons of glaze from the skillet and set aside.
Step 3: Toss the pork chops in the skillet with the remaining glaze.
Step 4: Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 145 degrees. Adjust the time as needed depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Broil if desired for 2-3 minutes. Spoon a few tablespoons of the pan drippings into the glaze to loosen it. Brush each chicken thigh with the glaze mixture.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish these brown sugar garlic pork chops with fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, or a citrus peel twist.
I love serving these oven-baked brown sugar pork chops with a starch or vegetable side dish. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Use fresh garlic. Fresh garlic offers a sweeter, bolder taste than garlic powder. I feel it adds a better taste to this brown sugar garlic pork chops recipe.
- Reduce the brown sugar sauce on the stove first. If you do not reduce the glaze on the stove first, the consistency may be too thin after it cooks in the oven. As pork chops cook, they release juices, which can alter the glaze consistency. By creating the glaze first, you can ensure it’s not too thick or thin.
- Reserve some glaze for serving. As the glaze cooks in the oven, it thickens and sticks to the oven-baked pork chops. So, once the dish is fully cooked, there won’t be much glaze left for a topping. When you save glaze to the side, you ensure there’s plenty to drizzle on top of the pork chops before serving them.
- Allow the pork chops to rest for about 3 minutes. There are two reasons for allowing pork chops to rest after baking them. For one, the pork chops will keep cooking for three minutes after being removed from the heat. Allowing the pork chops to rest also allows the fibers in the meat to relax, which means a juicier, more tender bite when you eat them.
Additions & Variations
- Add veggies – You can create a more nutritious dish by incorporating veggies like carrots, mushrooms, and green beans into this brown sugar garlic pork chops dish. Add the vegetables in at the same time as the pork chops.
- Air Fryer – These pork chops can also be cooked in the air fryer. To make brown sugar pork chops (air fryer version), follow the same steps as above. Instead of putting the pork chops into the skillet, brush them with the glaze and put them in the air fryer. Cook them at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes. They are done when their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
- Grill – This recipe also works well on the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat to make grilled brown sugar pork chops. Then, brush the pork chops with the brown sugar glaze. Cook them on the grill for about eight minutes per side. They are done when their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Recipe FAQs
A few steps will help you create tender, not tough pork chops (like in this brown sugar garlic pork chops dish). For one, it’s necessary to let pork chops rest after they cook. Additionally, not overcooking the pork chops will help them remain tender.
Using a glaze is one way to create juicy, tender pork chops. You can also brine pork chops for about one hour before cooking them so they stay moist in the oven.
No, pork chops do not get more tender the longer you cook them. Ensure you only cook pork chops until they reach 145 degrees internally. Overcooking them leads to tough, chewy protein.
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Easy Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 10-12 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon EACH smoked paprika & red pepper flakes*
- 2-2.25 pounds boneless pork chops (about 4)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large oven/stovetop safe skillet, stir together the butter, sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, garlic, paprika, and red pepper over medium heat.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water or chicken broth, 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar, 10-12 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon EACH smoked paprika & red pepper flakes*
- Bring to a rolling boil and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. The glaze should begin to thicken. Turn the heat off. Remove about 3 Tablespoons of glaze from the skillet and set aside.
- Toss the pork chops in the skillet with the remaining glaze.2-2.25 pounds boneless pork chops (about 4)
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 145 degrees. Adjust the time as needed depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Broil if desired for 2-3 minutes. Spoon a few tablespoons of the pan drippings into the glaze to loosen it. Brush each chicken thigh with the glaze mixture.
Notes
- Red Pepper Flakes: This little bit of spice pairs well with the brown sugar. If you are sensitive to spice, reduce to ½ teaspoon or omit.
- Pork Chops: You can use bone-in pork chops, but you will likely need to adjust the cooktime. Bone-in pork chops can take around 25 minutes to cook in the oven. Use a meat thermometer to determine when the boneless or bone-in pork chops are done.
- Use fresh garlic. Fresh garlic offers a sweeter, bolder taste than garlic powder. I feel it adds a better taste to this brown sugar garlic pork chops recipe.
- Reduce the brown sugar sauce on the stove first. If you do not reduce the glaze on the stove first, the consistency may be too thin after it cooks in the oven. As pork chops cook, they release juices, which can alter the glaze consistency. By creating the glaze first, you can ensure it’s not too thick or thin.
- Reserve some glaze for serving. As the glaze cooks in the oven, it thickens and sticks to the oven-baked pork chops. So, once the dish is fully cooked, there won’t be much glaze left for a topping. When you save glaze to the side, you ensure there’s plenty to drizzle on top of the pork chops before serving them.
- Allow the pork chops to rest for about 3 minutes. There are two reasons for allowing pork chops to rest after baking them. For one, the pork chops will keep cooking for three minutes after being removed from the heat. Allowing the pork chops to rest also allows the fibers in the meat to relax, which means a juicier, more tender bite when you eat them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
