Easy, Juicy Pork Chops

Being a child of the 80s, I am naturally terrified of meat. Every food expert back then instructed home cooks to kill the nasty, deadly pathogens by cooking all meats (especially chicken & pork) to a specific germ-blasting temperature. Having no thermometer at the time, I took that advice to mean "just cook the heck out of it." Results were consistently bad--my meat dishes were dry, tough, and flavorless. They still tend that way, to be honest. But I'm slowly improving.

Rules have relaxed a little in the past couple decades, and a few recommended temperatures have been lowered. But most important, I got myself an instant-read thermometer that I use religiously. Here's one of the first meat recipes I conquered. I've shared it with Natalie a few times, and I'm including it here so we can both refer to it.

Warning! Some of the meat will remain pink. I have to repress the urge to keep cooking. Trust your thermometer (assuming it's trustworthy.... mwahh ha ha ha!).

Easy, Juicy Pork Chops
recipe source: Cook's Illustrated magazine, premiere issue

4 bone-in pork rib or center-cut chops, about 7 ounces each and 1/2 to 3/4" thick
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Prepare chops: Cut two slits about 2 inches apart through fat and tissue on side of each chop (prevents curling). Pat them dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.

Place chops, sugared-side down, in a cold 12-inch nonstick skillet. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet over medium heat. (Chops should start sizzling after 2 minutes.) Cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes. 

Flip chops. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low and cook until center of each chop registers 140˚F, 2 to 6 minutes. Chops will barely brown on the second side. (Insert thermometer horizontally through the side, not up and down.)

Remove to a platter and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Do not discard liquid in skillet.

After 5 minutes of rest, add any accumulated juices on platter to the skillet. Set skillet over high heat and simmer vigorously until reduced to 3 tablespoons, just about a minute. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Take skillet off heat and return pork chops, turning them to coat with the reduced sauce. Serve, browned side up, pouring juices over top.

serves 4.