Pecan Pork Chops With Honey Glaze

With their flavorful, caramelized edges and sticky sweet sauce, these Honey Glazed Pork Chops will have your whole family asking for seconds. After an overnight marinade, this easy recipe takes less than 20 minutes in the oven to turn out an amazing and easy dinner. 

 

Quick and Easy Honey Pecan Pork Chops

There’s just something about a really great pork chop dinner. This classic cut has been the star of weeknight dinners for generations, so it’s always fun to create a new way to make them! This recipe uses a combination of honey, pecans, butter, and spice to make a sweet glaze with just a hint of kick from cayenne pepper.

Before making the sauce, you’ll do an overnight buttermilk marinade to tenderize and flavor the meat. This is my little trick for tender and juicy pork chops! (Don’t have buttermilk? You can make your own buttermilk with pantry ingredients.)

After browning all sides of the pork chops, you’ll add a honey mixture and pecans to a large skillet and pop it in the oven. As the pecans caramelize in the honey, a deliciously sticky glaze will form over the pork chops. Scrape up any extra sauce in teh pan and spoon that over the pork chops before serving – so good!

This is an especially great recipe for someone who may not love pork chops. The carmelized pecan coating will win even a hater over. The idea came to me after making a maple glazed pork loin. A little sweetness really compliments the pork flavor.

I recommend using bone-in chops for this recipe, when cooking meat, bone-in is guaranteed to have more flavor. For juicy, tender chops, make sure to not overcook them. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Pork chops are finished when they reach 145º, so you can take them out of the oven at around 135º. The meat will continue cooking as it rests. 

These honey glazed pork chops are great served over rice or would be amazing with a side of fresh green beans, spicy roasted cauliflower, or crispy roasted sweet potatoes and of course some homemade biscuits! I love combining the great flavor of these pork chops with a savory or spicy side to balance out all the flavors. 

Why You’ll Love Honey Glazed Pork

• Juicy Pork Chops – Thanks to the buttermilk marinade these pork chops are super tender while the honey glaze keeps moisture from escaping during the cooking process.  
• Saucy Glaze – The sweet and spicy glaze takes these pork chops from basic to perfect. 
• Simple Ingredients – ​Made with pantry staple spices and ingredients, this recipe is super easy to make even on the days you don’t want to cook.
  

Ingredients For the Most Amazing Dinner

Pork Chops – You’ll need two bone-in pork chops that are about 1-1 ½ inches thick. If you have thin pork chops, they will cook quickly and may be done before you put them in the oven. So use a meat thermometer to check.

Dairy – You’ll need both buttermilk and butter for this recipe. You can get buttermilk from the grocery store or make your own. 

Pantry – Break out the all purpose flour and honey!

Spices – You’ll need a pinch of cayenne, cinnamon, and cloves. You can adjust to taste! 

Nuts – Coarsely chopped pecans upgrade this sauce. You can leave them out but in the South we like to add pecans to everything.

Can I Make This With Other Cuts Of Pork? 

This would be just as delicious with boneless pork chops. You may have to adjust cooking times depending on the thickness of the cuts, but otherwise it’ll be great. This glaze would also be delicious on chicken breasts or bone-in thighs! 

Everything’s Better with Buttermilk

Step One: Marinate

Add pork chops to a ziplock bag and add buttermilk. Seal and refrigerate overnight. Rinse and pat dry. This is the secret to tender and juicy pork chops. You don’t have to marinate overnight, a couple of hours will do the trick.

Step Two: Prep Pork

Dredge in flour to give them a thin coating, this helps the sauce stick to them as they bake.

Step Three: Make Honey Sauce

In a small bowl, combine honey, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper. Add pecans and set aside.

Step Four: Brown Pork

Heat just a little butter in an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat, a cast iron skillet works great for this but is not required. Once hot, add pork chops and brown on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side.

Step Five: Bake Chops

Remove to a plate. Turn the heat down and add the honey mixture. Once it starts to bubble, add the pork chops back to the skillet and coat both sides with the honey glaze. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork chops. Check at 10 minutes with a meat thermometer for 1 ½ inch pork chops, and earlier if thinner.

Step Six: Finish Cooking

Remove from the oven when they reach 135º. Remove from the skillet and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit for 5 minutes. 

Tips For Tender & Juicy Pork Chops

• Never skip the marinade! This naturally tough meat will need about 2 hours to tenderize. 
• Use thick cut chops. The thicker the meat, the less likely it’ll dry out while searing or baking. 
• Always let them rest. As meat rests, the juices settle in and distribute leading to a more tender piece of meat. 

Pork Chop Recipes That are Not Sweet

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.