The Meat:
16 boneless loin pork chops – 3/4 inch thick
8 T Canola Oil
Kosher salt – to taste

The Butter:
˝ pound salted butter – softened
2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 T Dijon style mustard
˝ teaspoon lemon juice
ground white pepper to taste

Season the pork chops on both sides with Kosher salt.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bring a heavy sauté pan to high heat and add about 1/4 of the canola oil. Place about 4 chops in the pan at a time and sear well on both sides. Searing develops color and some flavor on the outside of the meat. The final cooking comes later. Remove to a sheet pan sprayed with pan release or cooking oil. Repeat this process until all the chops are seared and ready for the oven. Don’t over-crowd the pan during the searing process as it tends to reduce the pan’s high temperature and results in a poor searing of the meat.

Let the chops cool to room temperature on the sheet pan. Then, place about a teaspoon of the chilled butter mixture (its now a “compound butter”) on top of each chop. Place the sheet pan on the middle rack in the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 155 F. Don’t over cook. Pork doesn’t have to be “ cooked to death” to be safe. 155 F internal temperature is fine for Pork, especially of the boneless variety.

Yield: Eight Servings – two (6 oz) chops per person

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories 812
Protein (g) 73
Fat (g) 56
Sat fat (g) 22
Carbs (g) >1
Sodium (mg) 1830
Cholesterol (mg) 263

Chef Notes:
A. Chops may be cut from a boneless ˝ loin (the “shoulder end” (toward the front of the pig) creates the most uniform width and shape for the chops) and will be about 25% less expensive than chops individually cut by the neighborhood butcher, or packaged at the local supermarket.

B. When selecting a half or whole pork loin, choose a loin that has good marbling, or internal fat distribution (look at both ends of the loin for the white fat streaks which indicate marbling). Without some internal fat, pork will become dry and tough when cooked.

C. The Thyme-Dijon-Lemon Butter is a “compound” butter, which incorporates several flavors and/or seasonings. Compound butters may be easily made for any application and may include honey, cinnamon, parsley, thyme, hot chilies, garlic, etc, or a combination of several seasonings and flavors. Compound butters may be made well in advance and frozen for later use. Try rolling the mixed, softened butter into a log shape about 1-inch in diameter in parchment or waxed paper, wrapping again in plastic wrap, and then labeling and freezing it for a later use.

D. Searing is intended to create both color and flavor. It is also intended to help keep the meat juices in (which also helps with flavor and tenderness). The actual cooking process is mostly achieved in the oven where temperatures are more controlled and larger quantities may be prepared at the same time. This type of “two step cooking” – searing and roasting – is done often in commercial kitchens to control production time and create more flavorful and visually appealing dishes.

Kerry B. Koen
Fire Chief, Delray Beach Fire Department
Delray Beach, FL