Thick Pork Chops with Oven-Fried Potatoes

This is one of the first successful dishes that I've ever made since I got married.

Back at my parents' house, the way we cook our pork chops is that we buy thin pork chops, pound them flat and marinate in soy sauce, calamansi (Philippine lemon) and black pepper, then dredge in egg and flour and fry away. With hot steamy rice and Thai sweet chili sauce on the side, it was a chewy piece of heaven.

Unfortunately, P isn't too fond of thin pork chops and much more, hates pork chops that are stabbed to death by a fork, and then cooking it even more to death. But he loves thick pork chops, similar to the grilled pork chops of Italiannis -- tender and NOT stabbed. One day, he asked me to buy thick pork chops and then sear the outsides and place them in the oven.

So off I went to the supermarket and ordered 6 pieces of 2-inch pork chops with bone, and then didn't realized how thick they were until I got it. It had a thick layer of fat on the side. Armed with Provencal herbs that bought from our honeymoon and garlic salt from my MIL, I seasoned and seared it in a hot frying pan and then placed it in the oven. It turned out quite nicely, and P was happy about it. Better than steak, he said. Yay!!! I couldn't help but smile.:D

The idea of adding potatoes and making slices along the fat of the pork chop came along on my third try.

Thick Pork Chops with Oven-Fried Potatoes

6 pieces 2-inch thick pork chops
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Provencal herbs or Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
10-12 pieces potatoes, scrubbed with skin on and cut into quarters
1 head of garlic, whole and peeled

Preheat oven to 195 C (Gas mark 4). Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel. Make narrow vertical or crisscross cuts into the fat of the pork chop to give fat some crisp edges. Add olive oil just enough to coat the entire pork chop. Rub garlic salt, pepper and herbs into the meat. Set aside.

Pat potatoes dry with a paper towel. Add garlic and enough olive oil to coat the potatoes. Add garlic salt and pepper. Add herbs if desired. Transfer to a baking pan and place into oven.

Sear pork chops in a frying pan in high heat until all sides, including the fat, are golden brown. Immediately transfer them to a baking pan and place in the oven with the potatoes. Lower to 180 C (Gas mark 3) and bake for 12 minutes. Let rest in the oven for another 3 minutes before bringing them out. Pork chop should be cooked up to the bone by then.

Continue baking potatoes until have small creases on their skins. Skin should taste crisp and a slight garlicky salt flavor. Serves 6.

Note: Cooking the pork chop and potatoes in the oven toaster also works, especially when you're just cooking for two people. Just cook for 10 minutes each.