These 6-Minute Pork Chops Are A Weeknight Lifesaver

God bless pork chops. I love them SO much. When I have no time to cook, which is usually about once I week, I lean on my supremely easy 6-Minute Pork Chops to save the day.

I call them 6-Minute Pork Chops for several reasons: They only take six minutes to season and prep, and only six minutes per side to grill. On top of that, my super-versatile spice blend only has six ingredients, and I've got six go-to sauces to serve them with. Not convinced yet? Read on and you will be. Here's how to make my 6-Minute Pork Chops.

How To Make 6-Minute Pork Chops

It all starts with my house seasoning, which the Southern Living Test Kitchen put to good use in our Sweet And Smoky Grilled Tenderloins recipe. The spice blend is simple:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground mustard

Mix the six ingredients in a bowl, then sprinkle evenly over both sides of your pork chops. This recipe makes enough to season two pounds of pork—double it or halve it as desired.

Now that the pork chops are seasoned, you have two choices: Go on and cook them, or freeze them for later.

This is the move that makes a big difference. I often buy pork chops at Costco, which come about 18 to a pack. I mix up extra seasoning, sprinkle it all over, then put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them until firm before transferring them to freezer bags for safe keeping. Then, I just pull out how many I need the night before and let them thaw in the fridge. That way, when I dash home from work, I can set the chops out while I preheat the grill, then I’m all ready to go!

Three Ways To Cook 6-Minute Pork Chops

I prefer to grill the pork chops, because then I don’t have any pans to scrub! I preheat my grill to medium-high, then cook the thawed pork chops about 6 minutes per side for 1-inch thick chops, or until they’re around 135°F.

If you prefer the oven, crank it up to 425°F, then roast the pork chops for six minutes, flip, then 6 minutes more or until they’re cooked through.

For the stove, heat up enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan (about 2 tablespoons, then cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per side total, flipping occasionally to keep an eye on the browning.

Six Sauces To Serve With 6-Minute Pork Chops

Here’s where the versatility of this spice blend does you a lot of flavors. The combination of salty, smoky, sweet, and sour flavors lends itself to just about any flavor profile. On their own, they taste superbly Southern, so they pair well with Comeback Sauce, Alabama White Barbecue Sauce, and Honey Mustard. But if you’re looking to go abroad in your flavors, these pork chops will taste great with a zesty chimichurri, a sticky-sweet Korean barbecue sauce, a fiery chipotle-maple sauce.