Pork Chop Seasoning

Make THE BEST pork chops ever with this simple and delicious pork chop seasoning blend! It’s easy to mix up in less than 5 minutes and is delicious on grilled, oven baked, sous vide or pan fried pork chops.

Pork chops can get a bad reputation for being dry and bland. But with this homemade seasoning blend and my secrets to success, your friends and family will be requesting pork chops for dinner every week!

While I love to grill and smoke pork chops using this seasoning mix, you can also make delicious pan fried or oven baked pork chops. The key is to generously coat the pork chops in the seasoning, so that every bite has a nice, flavorful crust on it!

Making homemade spice blends is one of my secrets to creating incredibly flavorful food! When you make your own seasoning blends at home, you know exactly what’s going into them, simple herbs and spices. No additives, or sneaky extra “flavorings” that you don’t know what they are!

Keep this pork chop seasoning in your pantry for up to 6 months, alongside my famous Steak Seasoning and Chicken Seasoning, so you can make flavorful meat every time, no matter the protein!

Ingredients

This recipe is made with pantry staples, that you probably already have in your kitchen. For the full ingredient amounts, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Smoked paprika – this spice adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the seasoning blend and gives the pork chop beautiful color. If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, sweet or regular paprika can be used in it’s place, but you won’t get the smoky flavor.
• Sea salt (or kosher salt) – both sea salt and kosher salt can be used interchangeably when cooking. I prefer either kosher or sea salt, over table salt, in this seasoning mix because of their coarse texture and superior flavor.
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder  (or granulated onion) – the only difference between granulated onion and onion powder is that the powder has been ground finer, than the granulated onion. I prefer to use granulated onion because it’s less likely to clump over time, than onion powder.
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano
• Cayenne pepper – this gives the pork chop seasoning a very slight kick of spice. If you prefer no spice, you can omit this ingredient in this mix.
• Dried mustard
• Brown sugar – this ingredient is optional. If you prefer a sugar-free pork chop seasoning, you can absolutely leave it out and the mix will still be delicious. I actually keep two jars of this seasoning mix on hand, one with sugar and one without. Depending on the pork chop recipe, sometimes I prefer the seasoning with brown sugar and sometimes I like to leave it out.

Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.

Easy as that, in 5 minutes or less, you have a flavorful pork chop seasoning, ready to spice up all your favorite pork recipes!

That’s right, this seasoning mix can be used for more than just pork chops. Use it to season pork loin, pork tenderloin or even pork ribs.

Tips and tricks

• This recipe makes 6 tablespoons of pork chop seasoning, without the brown sugar, or 8 tablespoons of seasoning with the brown sugar. If you’d like to make a double batch of the seasoning, simply hover over the servings in the recipe card below and change it from 6 tablespoons, to 12 tablespoons. The ingredient amounts in the recipe card will automatically update to accommodate the new serving size.
• I recommend using 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of pork chops.
• The pork chop seasoning will stay good, stored in an airtight container in the pantry, for up to 6 months. After that the spice blend will not “go bad” but as spices sit longer, they begin to lose their flavor.
• I recommend storing the seasoning mix in an 8 ounce mason jar. If doubling the recipe, use a pint size or 16 ounce mason jar. I recommend labeling the pork chop seasoning with a date and using the seasoning mix within 6 months. In my house, we double this recipe and it’s easily gone in a month, so I don’t think you’ll have a problem using it all up!
• To make a spicy pork seasoning, add an additional 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper.

Ways to use it

The possibilities really are endless when it comes to this pork chop seasoning recipe. It can be used to season boneless or bone-in pork chops for the oven or grill. It can also be used to season smoked or sous vide pork chops. You can also season and pan fry pork chops on the stove for a quick and easy meal.

In addition to pork chops, you can also use it to season a pork loin or pork tenderloin. Check out the list below for all of the my favorite ways to use this seasoning mix.

• Smoked Pork Chops (pictured above) – pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then season the pork chops with the spice mix. Smoke them at 225°F for 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Let the pork chops rest for 10 minute before serving. For more detailed instructions, click on the link to the left for the full recipe.
• Grilled Pork Chops – coat bone-in or boneless pork chops in the seasoning blend. Place them on a grill over medium-high heat and grill the pork chops for 5 minutes per side, per inch of thickness. Remove the pork chops from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 140°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. The internal temperature will rise at least 5 degrees as the pork chops rest.
• Oven Roasted Pork Chops – season the pork chops with the spice mix, then place them in an oven-safe dish, or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the pork chops in a 425°F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes for 1 inch thick pork chops. You will need to go longer if the pork chops are thicker. I always recommend using an instant-read thermometer to make sure the pork chops are between 140-145°F before removing them from the oven.
• Sous Vide Pork Chops – set a sous vide water bath temperature to 145°F. Season the pork chops, then seal them individually in vacuum-sealed bags or zipper-lock bags. Add the pork chops to the water bath and cook for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours. Remove the pork chops from the water bath and cut each bag open. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over high heat on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter to the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add the pork chops and sear for 30-60 seconds on each side. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
• Pan Fried Pork Chops – heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Cover the pork chops in the seasoning mix. Add two tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the pork chops to the skillet and sear for 5-10 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the pork chops.
  • Quick tip! I do not recommend pan frying pork chops that are more than 1 inch thick, as it will be hard to cook the inside to 145°F without overcooking the outside of the pork chops. Pan frying is the best technique for cooking thinner pork chops, while thicker pork chops are best on the grill, smoker or in a sous vide.
• Oven Roasted Pork Loin – season a 3-4 pound boneless pork loin with 3-4 tablespoons on the seasoning mix. Place on a wire rack on top of a foil lined baking sheet. Cover the pork loin loosely with a piece of foil and place in a 400°F oven to roast for 20 minutes. Uncover the pork and continue cooking for an additional 25 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin – season a pork tenderloin that’s 1 1/2 – 2 pounds with 2 tablespoons of pork chop seasoning. Preheat a grill to medium heat and oil the grill grates. Place the pork tenderloin on the grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Once the internal pork temperature reaches 135°F, brush the pork tenderloin with bbq sauce and cook on the grill for another 3-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Remove from the grill and rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

More homemade seasoning blends

Stock your pantry with all of my homemade seasoning mixes to add THE BEST flavor to every meal!

• Fajita Seasoning
• Taco Seasoning
• Cajun Seasoning
• Ranch Seasoning
• French Onion Dip Mix
• Italian Seasoning
• Chili Seasoning
• BBQ Seasoning

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