116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Back to Basics: Perfecting Pork
Little is needed to make these pan-seared Iowa Chops irresistible
Pork chops originated as a typical southern food, but Iowans have claimed and made famous their own version of the pork chop, even coining the large thick bone-in cut the “Iowa Chop” in 1976. Such a beloved food means there are many delicious ways to prepare it, but this article will focus on pan-searing a pork chop to get the juiciest version possible.
By following these tips and techniques, you’ll be able to easily replicate an irresistible restaurant-quality meal with minimal effort. Using just a few basic ingredients and simple steps, you may be inspired to apply this back-to-basics meat preparation to all other sorts of meals.
Juicy, tender and perfectly seasoned meat is the dream for every meat lover. We often have a favorite place for a delicious steak, and we wonder how they reached that perfect, well-balanced flavor. We often try to find the answer by looking for it in the spice rack of a supermarket — experimenting with a variety of seasoning mixtures.
But seasoning mixtures are heavily processed and do not provide as great a flavor as expected. I am not against using a good-quality seasoning mixture, but time and time again, I’ve experienced that it is not the key to preparing great-tasting meat. To prepare meat so good that it can be served in your favorite restaurant, you must understand and follow a few basic and very simple rules. You may even find that seasoning mixtures are totally unnecessary in many cases.
For this recipe, use a boneless pork loin chop that can be bought already precut (feel free to optionally use chops with bones). If you want to enjoy a thicker steak, about 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches, you need to buy an entire pork loin and then cut the steaks yourself. It is one extra step, but it is often the most cost-effective solution. The extra meat can be frozen for later. Each loin will have a side fat layer. I recommend leaving and rendering it during later cooking. It will provide you with an additional flavor profile like bacon.
As is often the case, less is more. While working with any protein, it is best to use ingredients that elevate its real flavor rather than overpower it. Most important with any savory meal, including the pork chop, is to make sure to use salt and pepper. Unless you are on a low-sodium diet, it is important to be generous with salt as salt unlocks most proteins’ natural flavors. Pepper, in a reasonable amount, will provide the perfect balance to the salt and the proteins’ flavor. To enhance it even further, use freshly ground pepper.
The pork chop, other pork cuts, poultry, and fish benefit from using tenderizers to unlock even fuller flavor profiles by providing some acidic undertones. In my opinion, the best tenderizer is juice from a fresh lemon.
For all sorts of meat, fish and poultry, I like to gently coat the protein with oil of any kind, although I prefer to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This supports the main flavor profile of the protein, helps to balance the acidity and saltiness, and helps the salt and pepper to better bond with the surface.
Garlic is one of the main secret ingredients, especially working with any kind of pork and chicken. Many people have garlic associated with too strong of an odor and believe its flavor is overpowering, but if used in moderation, none of that is true. Garlic can provide a nice undertone to any protein and become just one of the important flavors. If applied right, garlic can be smartly hidden, while still contributing to the entire symphony of flavors.
In my recipe for pork chops, you will need just one clove per chop, which will result in a very satisfying flavor that most won’t even attribute to garlic. While you can use a garlic press to prepare garlic, my personal favorite and recommendation for unlocking the most flavor from garlic is to use a small hand grater.
Pork chop preparation
On each side of the pork chop, squeeze lemon, drizzle with olive oil, grate about a half clove of garlic, and spread all ingredients around with a pastry brush, salt generously, and sprinkle with pepper. Turn and repeat, cover with a food wrap, and let it rest before cooking.
Let the pork chop rest at room temperature. Meat and poultry can significantly benefit from this as meat relaxed at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking results in more tender and less chewy meat.
When meat is removed from the fridge and placed directly into the pan, it gets a shock that doesn’t allow it to reach full flavor potential when cooking. Keep in mind that if your room temperature exceeds 72 degrees, it is mandatory to not leave it out. If you are in a rush, you can skip or shorten the resting time, but you may lose some important flavor elements.
After resting is complete, set the oven to preheat to 350 degrees. Then, preheat an ovenproof pan on medium-high to high heat with some frying oil — oil suitable for cooking.
Sear pork chops on both sides until a nice color is reached. Do not forget to render the side fat if present. Add two slices of butter on top of each chop and pour the marinating liquid from the plate evenly over top. Finish by placing the pan into the preheated oven until the meat is fully cooked, about 6 to 9 minutes, turning the chops over half way through and pouring the juices from the pan over.
When done cooking, let the meat rest on a cutting board for about 2 minutes before serving to let the meat lock the juices in, and then, serve, sliced or as a whole steak.
For a finishing touch and added blast of flavor, place one serving of herb butter on each chop. You can purchase some at the store, but homemade is always best and it is not hard to make.
Place soft (room temperature) butter together with herbs of your choice, a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper into a food processor, and process until smooth and fully combined. Using a disher (scoop), set of spoons, or pastry bag, create single portions. Shortly chill and serve or even freeze and have single use portions ready for when you need them
Frozen single portions can last in the freezer easily for one year and can be defrosted in 30 minutes or can be placed right from the freezer on the steaming chop or steak.
Good to know
The minimum safe internal temperature for serving pork, according to the USDA, is 145 degrees. Regardless of this recommendation, there are other popular serving temperatures: 120 to 130 degrees — rare, 130 to 135 degrees — medium rare; 135 to 145 degrees — medium (most popular, especially by chefs), 145 to 155 degrees — medium well, and 155 degrees and more — well done.
Remember that cooking pork under recommended safe internal temperature by the USDA is at your own risk. Cooking to higher temperatures than recommended may produce a drier and less juicy texture.
Fry pans are often called frying pans or skillet pans. They are typical for their short (shortest of all the pans) and slightly angled edges that allow you to effectively flip your ingredients without utensils (if you so desire). They are great for frying meats, steaks, and fish, making grilled cheese and pancakes, searing, and preparing meals that don’t have much volume.
Saute pans have narrower edges and are taller than normal fry pans. They are great for sauteing vegetables, finishing pasta, shallow frying, preparing meals in sauces, and preparing any meal with more volume.
For my family, we love to pair this simple and delicious pork chop with a side of mashed potatoes. Most readers have their own version of this delicious side, but if you are looking to change things up a little, I’ve included my recipe. The goal of my recipe is to elevate this classic potato side by using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip heavy cream into the cooked potatoes. This combination takes the basic mashed potato and elevates it to an even creamier and fuller texture — you might even say it reminds you of a cloud.
Enjoy your meal.
Tom Slepicka is the founder of www.cookinghub.com, and is a recipe creator, culinary instructor, chef, and a consultant. You can reach him at tom@cookinghub.com.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Servings: 4 to 5
Active Time: 25 minutes/ Total Time: 25 minutes
Mashed potatoes are a delicious and popular side. My recipe will elevate this delicious side even more thanks to using a stand mixer to whip together heavy cream with cooked potatoes. We are going to reach mashed potatoes with a delicious creamy flavor and texture, so creamy you just may think you are tasting a cloud.
Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced or sliced *
3/4 cup of heavy cream — warm (can be preheated in microwave)
Optional: 1 clove of garlic — peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper — ideally freshly ground
*It really doesn’t matter what size you dice potatoes for this recipe, but smaller pieces will cook faster.
Directions:
Potato preparation and cooking: Rinse potatoes under cold water.
Then peel and chop potatoes.
Notes: Shape and size of cut potatoes don’t matter; just try to keep a semi-unified size to finish cooking simultaneously. Smaller cut potatoes will cook faster.
Place into a medium pot and then fill the pot with water (about 1inch above the level of the potatoes).
Cover the pot with a lid and place on a high-heat burner. Bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium and boil until fully cooked (about 12 to 15 minutes). Take one out and taste it to make sure it is done.
Drain the water by pouring it over a colander and placing it into a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add to the stand mixer: 3/4 cup of heavy cream — warm; Optional: 1 clove of garlic — grated; 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pinch of ground pepper. Whisk on a low speed until partially combined (about 1 minute). Then increase speed to high and whisk until it gets nice and creamy with a fluffy consistency for at least 5 minutes.
Note: If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the mixing bowl during mixing, stop the mixer, and place it back into the bowl with a spatula. Then, continue mixing.
Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
Optionally, serve by piping out of your pastry bag with a tip.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Herb Butter
12 individual servings or two sticks of butter
Active Time: 10 minutes/Total Time: 10 minutes
The taste of fresh herbs is something amazing, not just if you grow them in your own garden but also if you buy them in a farmers market or your local store. It is easy to make taste great. It can be used as a spread or a melting addition to your steaks.
Great for: Being melted on freshly cooked steak or fish; Served on bread of any kind; dipping any kind of vegetable or chips
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of herbs of your choice — fresh and briefly chopped*
1 clove of garlic — peeled
2 sticks (1/2 pound) of butter — soft (room temperature)
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground pepper
* The combination is up to you and your imagination. I have even used a combination of basil, sage, oregano, chives, parsley, and rosemary. If you prefer a stronger herb flavor, double the number of herbs. Remove the leaves from the stem (the stem is often hard and should not be eaten) with the exception of chives. Chop the herbs just briefly; the final chopping will be done in a food processor.
Directions:
Place all ingredients into a kitchen food processor and process on high speed until all ingredients are fully combined and the texture is smooth (about 3 to 4 minutes).
Create a portion of herb butter using one of the following methods:
For the best visual effect, fill the pastry bag with herb butter and then pipe out single portions on a baking sheet or plate.
You can avoid using a pastry bag by forming a single portion with a small disher or a set of two spoons.
Or, place a large amount of herb butter (or all) on plastic wrap and roll into a single stick of butter.
Let it cool in the refrigerator (for at least 30 minutes) and then serve or freeze.
Tips:
If parts of the ingredients stick on the side of the food processor during processing, stop the food processor and use a spatula to mix back in. Then, continue processing.
You can freeze your herb butter and use it anytime you want with steaks and other meals. Place individual portions on a baking sheet with parchment paper, freeze, and then place in a freezer bag. This way, you will have individual portions ready to use when you need them. It stays great in your freezer for about a year and takes about 30 minutes to defrost (or none if you place directly on a hot steak).
Source: Tom Slepicka
Pan Seared Pork Chop
4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes/Total Time: 50 minutes
Pork chops are a super popular pork cut for their delicious flavor and cost-effectiveness. This recipe consists of just a few common ingredients that will get the most flavor out of this delicious cut. Thanks to pan searing with finishing in the oven, you will reach absolute tenderness and juiciness, all with no processed ingredients and a few simple steps. It will make you realize that there is no need for processed seasonings or paying big bucks in fine dining establishments.
Ingredients:
4 pieces (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) of boneless pork loin chops (preferably 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches thick) *
Juice from 1 large lemon
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil — adjust if needed
4 cloves of garlic — peeled and grated — adjust if needed
Salt — ideally freshly ground
Pepper — ideally freshly ground
* Best is to purchase the entire pork loin. It is the most cost-effective method, allowing you to cut to a perfect thickness. Buy fresh (not frozen), use part, and freeze the rest for the next time. Optionally substitute for chicken breasts — skinless and boneless.
For searing with finishing in the oven:
2 tablespoons of frying oil — adjust if needed
1/2 stick (2 ounces) of butter — sliced to about 8 slices
Final touch:
Salt and pepper — ideally freshly ground
Optional: Herb butter
Best served with:
Creamy mashed potatoes
Meat preparation:
Make sure that the meat is properly rinsed under cold water.
Cut into 4 chops with a thickness of 1 1/2 inch to 2 inches (unless already cut from the store).
Do not pound the meat; just place it on a plate.
Pour and sprinkle these ingredients on both sides of each chop: juice from squeezed lemon; Extra Virgin Olive Oil, grated garlic speading with a silicone brush (or fingers).
Generously salt and pepper (especially be very generous with salt — it will help develop the right flavor).
Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator with the last 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature).
Important:
Make sure that room temperature does not exceed 72 degrees
Note:
The marinating process at room temperature will provide you with very tender meat that will almost melt in your mouth (room temperature will let the meat properly relax before further cooking). This step can be skipped to speed up recipe preparation.
Pan Sear & Finish in the oven:
Set oven to preheat at 350 degrees.
Preheat a frying pan to medium-high to high heat with 2 tablespoon of frying oil.
Briefly sear to reach a nice sear color (about 1 to 3 minutes on each side plus fat layer on pork chops if this applies).
Add two slices of butter to each loin and pour the liquid marinade from the plate over.
Finish by placing into the preheated oven until the meat is fully cooked (about 6 to 9 minutes). Check with a food thermometer to ensure you have reached the minimum recommended safe serving temperature for pork, 145 degrees (USDA requirement), but don’t cook much over the temperature to prevent overcooking (dry meat).
In the middle of finishing in the oven, turn the meat and pour the juices from the pan over.
Resting and Serving: Let the meat rest on a cutting board for about 2 minutes before serving to let the meat rest and lock the juices in.
Optionally, slice each chop for serving. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and optionally place herb butter on each chop right after plating. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or your favorite side.
Source: Tom Slepick
Daily Newsletters