I tend to think that pork chops are the great equalizer of the kitchen. They’re usually quite inexpensive, easy to cook, and almost always delicious. They pair well with a great number of sauces or garnishes, and go with most vegetables or even fruit. And the whole meal can realistically be cooked in just about the amount of time it takes to prepare a side of rice.
Of course, there’s a caveat. Pork, today, is much leaner than it used to be.
Back in our parents’ or grandparents’ age, pork was both fattier and heavy with parasites. You’d have to cook it a longer time to make it safe, but that wasn’t so terrible because the higher fat content kept the pork relatively moist.
But today, pork is pretty much clean. So, you don’t have to cook pork forever. In fact, you’ll ruin it if you do, because, since it’s so much leaner, you’ll dry it out like crazy if you cook it for too long.
There are three things to do: get bone-in thick cut pork chops (at LEAST an inch thick, if not much thicker), keep your cook time as short as possible, and, if you’re so inclined, cook your chops to about medium well. That, of course, is my own preference, because I like just a bit of rosiness in the chops, but I should also note that to be safe, it should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F.
And one last note: over the last couple of years, I think I’ve been noticing that pork is getting a little fattier. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking, but…
Anyways, enough rambling. Onto the recipe:
Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce
- pork chops, preferably bone-in, one per serving
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 cloves garlic, sliced very thinly
- about 1 cup white wine, like a sauvignon blanc
- about 1/4 cup brown mustard
Take your chops out of the refrigerator and let get to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Don’t cook them cold, or your heat is going to be fighting against the refrigerator, and they’ll cook unevenly. Season your chops with plenty of salt and cracked pepper.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan until it’s shimmery, on medium-high heat. Put your chops in the pan, give them a little room, and leave them there. Just leave them alone. Don’t move them around, lift them to check on them, or anything. That’s the only way that they’ll brown nicely. Flip them once.
Leave alone and flip once to get a nice brown
The cook time will depend on the thickness of the chops. I tend to go for about 8 minutes per side, but feel free to either check the temperature or make a small cut into the chops to check the color. And remember, once you remove the chops, the temp will rise about another 5° as it rests.
Once the chops are done, remove and let rest on a wire rack, tented with aluminum foil to keep warm. Toss the garlic slices in the pan and brown, about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine, and let reduce by about half, while scraping the pan to make a sauce. When the wine is slightly thick, add the mustard and whisk until it’s all combined. Add some extra cracked pepper if you prefer, and taste for salt.
Make your sauce right in the pan with garlic, wine, and mustard
Sauvignon blanc goes nicely with pork, as it can be tart with an almost apple-like taste, but generally any variety of white wine, as long as it’s not too sweet, will work in the sauce. Don’t use the generic grocery store cooking wine, though, because that’s gross. Just use a bit of whatever wine you plan on drinking with dinner, or a bit of leftover wine from earlier in the week.
Sauce your pork chops, serve with a vegetable and a starch, and you’ve got a great, cheap, and easy meal.
Nicely browned, easy sauce… perfect
Enjoy!
-Griff
un Raviolo 
Looks good Griff!