Golden, pan-fried pork chops

To say these are a hit would be an understatement. I like making these in my cast iron pan, but they also cook wonderfully in a non-stick pan.

These are a nice compromise in the summer, when you don’t want to get the oven involved but the BBQ is too much work.

INGREDIENTS

• pork chops, any cut (thicker ones will take more time)

• butter and/or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, at least two tbsp. *See notes

• fresh aromatics — I used sage and rosemary in the pictured pork chops

• garlic

• salt

• pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the butter or oil in the pan and preheat it on medium heat.

2. Generously salt and pepper each side of the pork chops.

3. Add the pork chops to the pan (I use tongs) when it is heated and cook on each side for roughly 4 minutes **See notes.

4. Flip the pork chops.

5. Add another generous blob of butter, around a tablespoon, and the garlic and aromatics.

6. Baste the pork chops with the butter and herbs as they cook.

7. Remove from the heat when each side is golden and the pork chops are cooked through.

NOTES

*For a real treat, and especially when I’m cooking for others, I use butter generously — without measuring — so that it coats the entire pan with some leftover for basting.

** I don’t move the pork chops as they are cooking, but I watch as the side of the meat turns from pink to white. As it gets close to the centre, I flip it.