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Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce

Pork chops with peppercorn sauce made in one pan, with pork seared until golden and finished in a glossy, aromatic peppercorn cream sauce. Coarsely cracked peppercorns stay visibly speckled throughout for an au poivre-style bite.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork chops
  • 4 bone-in pork chops About 1 inch thick
  • salt To taste
  • coarsely cracked black pepper To taste
Searing and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots Finely diced
  • 2 garlic Minced
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp brandy or cognac
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp coarsely cracked black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • fresh thyme For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear pork chops
  1. Season the pork chops generously with salt and coarsely cracked black pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the pork chops for 4–5 minutes per side until golden, then set aside.
Build the peppercorn sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same pan and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Carefully add the brandy or cognac and cook for 1 minute until reduced.
  4. Pour in the beef broth and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream, coarsely cracked peppercorns, and Dijon mustard.
  6. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens, then return the pork chops and simmer for 3 minutes.
  7. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with the glossy peppercorn cream sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the peppercorns coarse so you get visible specks in the sauce—fine-ground pepper will disappear. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate. For a lighter option, swap half the heavy cream with evaporated milk and reduce simmer time slightly to prevent curdling.