"Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Boneless Pork Chops with Dijon Butter Sauce

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• For the Dijon Butter sauce:
• 1 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) 3-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) 3-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) 3-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• For the Dijon Butter sauce:
• For the Dijon Butter sauce:
• 2 2 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 2 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 2 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 2 2 tbsp butter
• 2 2 2 tbsp butter
• 2 2 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup wine
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup wine
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup wine
• 4 4 4 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 4 4 4 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 4 4 4 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 1 1 1 tbsp honey optional
• 1 1 1 tbsp honey optional
• 1 1 1 tbsp honey optional
• 4 4 4 tbsp butter
• 4 4 4 tbsp butter
• 4 4 4 tbsp butter

Details

Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
SERVES 4
Look for a pork loin that is 7 to 8 inches long and 3 to 3½ inches in diameter. We strongly prefer using natural pork here. Using pork that is enhanced (injected with a salt solution) will inhibit browning. This recipe works best in a cast-iron skillet, but a 12-inch stainless-steel skillet will work. Serve the chops with one of our sauces (recipes follow), if desired. Our recipe for Walnut-Raisin Pesto is available for free for four months at CooksIllustrated.com/feb17.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch cast-iron skillet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, cut roast crosswise into 4 chops of equal thickness.

2. When oven reaches 500 degrees, pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and place over high heat. Being careful of hot skillet handle, add oil and heat until just smoking. Add chops and cook, without moving them, until lightly browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip chops and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes.

3. Flip chops and continue to cook, flipping every 2 minutes and adjusting heat as necessary if chops brown too quickly or slowly, until exteriors are well browned and meat registers 125 to 130 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes longer. Transfer chops to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes (temperature will climb to 140 degrees).

Hold in a warm oven (100 degrees) while making the sauce.
To prepare the sauce
Add the garlic and butter to the saute pan that you used for the chops.
Sauté over medium heat for only a minute or less to soften the garlic. (Do NOT let it brown)
Add the wine and Dijon mustard and honey.
Simmer to reduce until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
Reduce heat and add the butter.
Reduce heat and stir constantly to slowly melt the butter.
As soon as the butter is melted remove the sauce from the heat and serve immediately over the seared pork chops.