Simple Pan-Roasted Pork Loin Chops

That is one beautiful piece of meat, isn’t it? It’s from that new charcuterie shop in town that I mentioned in the last post. The owner knows our family now. We’re there on on a weekly basis to pick out something special for dinner, as well as some fun impulse buys like beef jerky, smokey beef sticks, or perro calientes (yes, those would be hot dogs). Last week they had these beautiful thick-cut pork loin chops that were calling out for a simple preparation so that they could take center stage. Just a quick marinade of olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary from the garden, garlic, salt, and pepper readied them for a sear in a hot skillet before finishing up in the oven.

At our natural foods store across the parking lot, we found some bunches of tender asparagus that we roasted alongside the pork chops, and we made some rice pilaf to round out the meal.

Note that this recipe is more a method than an exact recipe, since the timing will depend on the thickness of your pork chops.  Have a reliable meat thermometer handy. These were definitely some of the thickest we had ever eaten, but this method produces pork chops that are nice and caramelized outside and still moist inside.

Pan-Roasted Pork Loin Chops with Rosemary

2 thick-cut pork loin chops
4 TBS. extra virgin olive oil, divided
fresh rosemary, chopped (approximately 1 large sprig)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
kosher salt
freshly found black pepper

• Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator so that they can come to room temp before cooking. Place in a small baking dish (or a ziplock bag) with 2 TBS. of the olive oil, some chopped fresh rosemary, some roughly chopped garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoned oil all over the pork chops. Let sit (at room temp) for at least 30 min.

• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

• Heat the remaining 2 TBS. olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. When nice and hot, add the pork chops and sear for 3-4 minutes. Flip pork chops and sear on the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Transfer pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, until a (reliable) meat reads 160 degrees, or the meat juices run clear, 12-15 minutes for very thick pork chops (for thinner pork chops, begin checking after 6-9 minutes). Transfer to a plate and let rest for a couple minutes before digging in.

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