Keto Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops

Cast iron skillets are durable and versatile pieces of cookware. Add a few ingredients, and you have a delicious keto cast iron skillet pork chops dinner!

WHAT ARE CAST IRON PORK CHOPS?

Keto cast iron pork chops are really nothing more than delicious pork chops cooked in a cast iron skillet.

Smothered in butter, olive oil, and topped with rosemary, these are easy and delicious. 

Cooking in a cast iron skillet is a great way to get delicious meals in a very versatile piece of cookware. You can use cast iron on the stove, in the oven, or on the grill. 

Make these delicious pork chops tonight for a change from the normal beef or chicken!

KETO CAST IRON SKILLET PORK CHOPS INGREDIENTS

Before you try to make these yummy pork chops, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand first.

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• pink Himalayan salt
• fresh ground black pepper

When you have all of this, you’re set and ready to go!

HOW TO MAKE KETO CAST IRON SKILLET PORK CHOPS

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
2. Rub pork chops with olive oil and season very generously with salt and pepper
3. Set a cast iron skillet over high heat on the stovetop to heat up
4. Add pork chops to skillet and sear 3 minutes each side
5. Add rosemary sprigs to skillet, then transfer to oven
6. Continue cooking until chops are no longer pink
7. Remove from oven and add butter; let melt and spoon over pork chops as they rest
8. Let chops rest for 3 – 5 minutes before serving
9. Discard rosemary sprigs
10. Plate the chops, grab a fork and knife, and gobble up!

WHAT IS ROSEMARY?

Rosemary is a green leafed evergreen herb used in cooking, perfumes, and other health products.

It is most commonly used in cooking as a fragrant (and tasty) element to whatever dish it’s used in.

It comes from the same family of herbs that mint, oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender all come from. 

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE FRESH ROSEMARY?

If you don’t have it or aren’t able to get it at your local supermarket or grocery store, you can always use dried rosemary.

Many recipes call for dried, so you might even have some on hand in your spice cabinet. 

You can find dried rosemary in the spice aisle of your local store. 

The taste might be a little different than if you were using fresh, but will still be good all the same

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PORK CHOP?

Let’s take a quick dive into exactly what a pork chop is. 

Pork chops are a lean, mild-flavored, and versatile cut of meat. They are taken from the pork loin, which is the muscle that runs from the shoulder to the rear of the pig.

Other loin cuts are tenderloin, baby back ribs, and crown roast.

Thanks to their easy availability and their ease of cooking, pork chops have made a home as a staple dinner in many households.

BONE-IN VS BONELESS PORK CHOPS

Depending on your local options, you might have the option to buy bone-in and boneless pork chops.

Are they really that different?

It might not make much of a difference to you, but here is some quick information on the two different chops.

BONE-IN PORK CHOPS

Bone-in pork chops, aside from the obvious fact they come with a bone, are said to have a “beefier” flavor.

These bone-in chops also contain small amounts of rib meat attached to the bone, which gives them a slightly different texture as well. 

More than likely, this comes from the meat still having the bone attached. Bones contain all kinds of delicious tidbits that help to enhance the flavor.

In fact, that’s why bone broth (made by boiling meat bones for hours) is so popular.

When cooking bone-in chops, you also have to ensure that the meat near the bone is cooked. The area around the bone will heat differently than the meat, so it’s important to heat it thoroughly.

BONELESS PORK CHOPS

Boneless pork chops are pretty self explanatory. They are the meat-only portion of the chop. You don’t have to worry about a bone or anything else with these.

You simply cook, eat, and enjoy.

They are, however, without the small bits of rib meat that a bone-in chop offers. 

SO WHAT’S THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE?

The real difference comes down to personal preference. If you prefer a bone-in chop because of taste, get one. 

If you prefer the ease of a boneless pork chop, use that type.

While there may be actual differences in the two, the only difference that matters is your personal opinion on which you prefer to use.

TYPES OF PORK CHOPS

Besides the boneless and bone-in chops we discussed above, you may also encounter other names when dealing with pork chops.

Some of the names you might see are:

• Pork rib chops
• Frenched rib chops (means the rib bones are scraped clean of meat and fat)
• Center-cut chops
• Sirloin chops (supposedly more bone than meat and can be very tough and chewy)

WHAT TO EAT WITH KETO PORK CHOPS

A delicious meal like this deserves (at least one) delicious side dish and dessert. 

Here are some recipe ideas to get you started.

• Keto No-Bake Chocolate Cookies
• Keto Candied Bacon
• Low-Carb Spicy Roasted Broccoli
• Keto Cauliflower Gratin

For more ideas, you can check out our recipe index.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE CAST IRON SKILLET PORK CHOPS

Click on the links to see the items used in making this recipe. You can also find these products linked in the recipe below.

• Cast Iron Skillet – Cast iron cookware is some of the most versatile yet durable cookware on the planet. A cast-iron skillet provides more depth than comparable cookware, allowing for plenty of room to stir and cook. Ten inches is a great size, too, and is the size we recommend in a lot of our recipes that utilize cast iron cookware. If you don’t have a piece of cast iron, why not invest in one?

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