Butter Herbed Shrimp and Juicy Pan Seared Pork Chops

Pan seared pork chops make a wonderful dinner. But if you want a ‘surf and turf’ twist on easy pork chops, considering adding shrimp! There are many meat dishes which also include seafood. Even if it doesn’t sound like a good match, this shrimp and pork chops recipe works beautifully. The butter herbed shrimp are flavourful and this easy pork chops recipe will become family favourite.

Dishes such as surf and turf, with shrimp or lobster as well as steak, are always popular. Shrimp is incredibly versatile, and pairs just as well with pork. Butter herbed shrimp complements the other flavours in this exciting recipe.

This isn’t the only recipe where pork and shrimp are the stars. There are Portuguese and Spanish recipes combining these two. In Chinese cuisine, pork and shrimp appear together in soups and main dishes. They are also found in stir fries and rice or noodle dishes. Leftover pork and shrimp can be added to all kinds of recipes actually.

Easy Pork Chops with Shrimp: What You Need

The main ingredients in this pan seared pork chops dish is of course the meat. Choose bone-in pork chops for this dish. The shrimp can be fresh or thawed. If you are thawing them, you can either do this in a bowl of cold water, or leave them overnight in the refrigerator.

Use small, medium or even large shrimp here. It’s easier to use peeled, de-veined shrimp. I used tail-off but you could use tail-on for the presentation if you prefer.

You might also like Miso Ramen with Chicken, Tofu and Spicy Tahini, Juicy Greek Lemon Baked Pork Chops or Cranberry Lemon Pistachio Cookies.

Olive oil and butter go into this shrimp and pork chops recipe. Then you have garlic, parsley, thyme and lemon for flavour. Pork has a lighter taste than beef, so the flavours which match well with shrimp will also suit the pork.

Preparation Tips for Pan Seared Pork Chops

Once you have gathered and prepared all the ingredients for this shrimp and pork chops recipe, you need to heat some olive oil. Keep heating it until it’s just starting to smoke. Next you can add the pork and shrimp and cook them together in the skillet.

Bear in mind smaller shrimp cook faster than larger ones, so once they are opaque all the way through you can remove them to a plate and keep them warm. Opaque means they are cooked, while curled up like a tight C-shape means they are maybe a little too cooked!

The butter, garlic, parsley and thyme all go into the pan together. Finally you can add a bright zip of flavour with fresh lemon juice. The result is juicy pork and butter herbed shrimp which tastes phenomenal.

Side Dish Options for Easy Pork Chops

Pair the surf and turf dish with your preferred starch and vegetables. Mashed potatoes would go well, or even noodles or rice. Then any vegetable would also be good. Consider broccoli, snow peas, green beans, or anything else you want to have with these pan seared pork chops.

If you want to have wine with this pork and butter herbed shrimp dish, you have several choices. Anything from a light-bodied red to a crisp dry white would work nicely.

How Do You Know When Pork Chops are Cooked?

You can tell when beef is cooked by pressing down on it and gauging the texture or using an instant-read thermometer.

You can tell when fish or shrimp is cooked because it turns from glossy to opaque. But what’s the deal with pan seared pork chops? How do you know when they’re done?

If you are using small shrimp to make the butter herbed shrimp, you might need to remove that from the pan first. The pork might take a little longer. One of the tricks to perfecting pan seared pork chops is to cook them to your desired level of doneness.

Unless you know how to tell doneness by pressing on the meat (and that’s a handy skill to have!) you’ll need a thermometer. An instant-read thermometer is best here, since it will tell you within seconds whether or not the pork needs longer.

Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the chop but make sure it isn’t touching the bone. The pork is rare at 145 degrees F, medium between 150 and 155 degrees F, and then 155 to 160 degrees F would give you medium well. If you prefer your pork well done, you’ll need to get the meat up to 160 degrees F.

Butter Herbed Shrimp and Juicy Pan Seared Pork Chops Recipe

What to do With Shrimp and Pork Chops Leftovers?

If you happen to have leftovers, either pork or shrimp (or both) you can chop them and add to another dish the next day. Throw them into a pasta dish or risotto. They would also be good in an omelette or frittata. You can give this surf and turf dinner a whole new taste in leftovers.

Let me know if you try these pan seared pork chops! The butter herbed shrimp are SOOO tasty and this shrimp and pork chops recipe will be an instant favourite. This will be your go-to easy pork chops recipe. If you are looking for other pork recipes, try these Gluten Free Potstickers – Pork Dumplings with Sesame Sauce.

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