Pork Loin Chops with Roasted Red Potatoes

I feel like a lot of people don't make classic dishes anymore because they're afraid. How much time is this going to take? How do I prepare the meat again? How will I know what to do next? What if I get it wrong?

I'm a big fan of classic dishes, like pork chops and potatoes, and I want to make sure these recipes don't get lost or forgotten. I understand that a lot of times the effort on a weeknight is pretty much minimal, but that's no excuse for a box of mac 'n cheese to start being the main dish of a meal more than once in a while. So with that said, let me show you how to make a really classic meal with a lot of flavor, but minimal effort.

What You Will Need

• red potatoes (I typically use 4-6 small red potatoes)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• oregano
• rosemary
• pork loin chops (with or without the bone)
• garlic 
• 1 cup of liquid (more info later)

 Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F for the potatoes. Wash your red potatoes and pick out any "eyes" before you cut them into large bite-sized pieces. Place the potatoes into a glass baking dish. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the potatoes and mix with your fingers. When the olive oil has coated all the potatoes, season them with the salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary. Mix the seasoned potatoes with your fingers again and cover with aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, before removing the foil. Then bake another 10-15 minutes, or until done. (You will know the potatoes are done when you are able to stick a fork into them without resistance.)

*TIP* The larger you cut your potatoes, the more time it will take for them to cook. Mine are about an inch and a half here, and they took about 30-40 minutes.

Seasoned potatoes are SO good. Seriously, I think this is how I got Daniel to date me. Just kidding...I think.

Now for the meat. :)

First thing's first: wash your pork. Yes, I said wash your pork. Pork tends to have all kinds of fun bacteria, etc. that I'm not going to go into here, that likes to linger on its surface. (You can do this with chicken as well for good measure.) Just give the meat a rinse under some cool water and rub it gently with your fingers. Pat dry with a paper towel.

You're going to season both sides of the meat with salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic. I did a rough chop of the garlic (using about 3 large cloves). When you are finished with one side of the meat, gently pat the seasoning on the meat before turning it over. This will ensure that the seasoning stays with the meat.

Using a cast iron skillet (or other heavy, oven-safe skillet) pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it through.You will need to "roll" the oil around the pan so that is coats the bottom evenly.

Once the bottom of the pan is coated in the heated olive oil, place the seasoned pork chops in the skillet. The heat should be turned up high enough so the meat will brown easily, but not burn. Remember, you are not completely cooking the meat on the stove top.

Once both sides of the meat are nicely browned, pour in 1 cup of liquid. I used a combination of white wine chicken broth, and brandy. ( You could also make this using apple juice and chicken broth.) The liquid will ensure that the meat doesn't dry out in the oven while it finishes cooking, while enhancing the flavor of the pork.

This is the color you are aiming for when you are browning the meat, before you pour in the liquid.

Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil, and place in the oven until fully cooked. This will usually take about 10-20 minutes depending on whether your pork is bone-in or boneless. (This would also be a good time to use the meat thermometer in your kitchen drawer! If you don't have one, check out these links for my recommendations: Classic Thermometer ; Digital Thermometer 

That’s it! You’ve successfully cooked pork chops! Enjoy them with your roasted reds! I paired mine with some leftover grilled asparagus, and some white wine. 

Awesome. Just, awesome.