Thick Pork Loin Chops (ATK pan seared)

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
America's Test Kitchen (ATK) seems to LOVE their new method of searing and frying things in a preheated cast iron pan, and I keep testing it, too. So far, I've done steak, chicken thighs and now boneless pork chops.

My supermarket has brilliantly started to sell 1/2 pork loins - great for me.

I bought one, cut that in half, so I had two 1 3/4 - 2 pound chunks. I thawed one chunk, cut it into 3 thick chops, dried them, and sprinkled them with Dizzy Pig Raging River BBQ rub.

Note: ATK recommends only salt and pepper, but I wanted a more flavorful, charred crust. DON'T FORGET (like I did!) that most BBQ rubs have a lot of sugar, which is okay to use when cooking low and slow, but burns at high temps. And smokes up the kitchen.

Anyway, I heated up the cast iron pan in a 500 oven for 1/2 hour, heated 2 T oil and started searing the chops over high heat. Great color and char! Just as they started smoking up the kitchen pretty heavily (I opened my slider), my instant read thermometer read 125, the temp. at which ATK says to start the resting period, that "carryover heat" will eventually raise the meat temp to 140.

Well, my chops were still too rare after resting, so I nuked mine for 1 minute.

Otherwise, they were delicious! Tender (of course), and juicy, wonderful flavor and texture in the crust.

I would do this again, but use medium high heat on the stovetop, and canola instead of olive oil.

Lee
 

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Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Looks DELISH! only thing that's missing is the gravy. Hah!! :piesmiley1::eating2:
 
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