If you think you don’t like pork chops, there’s a good chance you’ve just never had a really good one. A great pork chop should taste almost like a steak when cooked correctly.
If you’ve been cooking pork to 165ºF (or higher), it isn’t entirely your fault. Until 2011, the USDA guidelines stated that pork should be cooked to 160ºF. After 2011, though, they lowered those guidelines to 145ºF, followed by a 3-minute rest.
Bone-in Pork Chop with Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Pork rib chop bone in
- Kosher salt
- Neutral oil high heat oil
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ cup Creme fraiche or sour cream
- 8 ounces Mixed mushrooms
- Good balsamic vinegar optional
- Flakey salt for garnish
- Chives thinly sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Take the pork chop out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow it to warm up slightly. Cover each side with a generous pinch of salt and rub it in. Once the pork chop has sat out for a bit and the salt has pulled moisture to the surface, use a paper towel to pat it dry. Re-apply salt as needed.
- Heat your pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 2-3 tablespoons of a high heat neutral oil. Allow that to heat and coat the pan. Carefully place the pork chop in the pan, dropping it away from your body. Place a heavy object, such as another pan, onto the pork chop in the pan to press it down.
- Sear for 3-4 minutes, then use tongs to turn it 90º to crisp up the fat cap if your pork chop has one. Once that side is crisp and browned, flip it to the other side and sear, with a weight on top, 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- You may need to flip the pork chop a few times to get good browning on each side. Use an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the thickest/most central part of the meat. Once it hits 135ºF or above, remove the pork chop from the pan and set to the side on a cutting board or plate. The inside of the meat will continue cooking while it rests, and it will end up at 145º.
- In the same pan as the pork chop, with the heat on medium-low, add the sliced mixed mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown. Once the mushrooms start to brown, add in the minced garlic and saute until soft and fragrant. Add 1/4 cup of creme fraiche or sour cream and stir until well combined. Add salt and a lot of black pepper to your liking. If needed, add a splash of water/broth to thin the sauce. Optionally drizzle in a very small amount of thick balsamic vinegar to provide a bit of acid to cut through the fat. Stir until well combined.
- Once the pork has rested 10-15 minutes, slice off the bone and then slice the pork chop against the grain. Serve the pork chop over the top of the mushroom cream sauce, then garnish with flaky salt and a hefty amount of chopped chives.
