Sear Roasted Pork Chops

 

This recipe comes courtesy of Mickey Trescott over at Autoimmune Paleo. Her website is full of recipes and helps to eat clean and healthy. Though I am not 100 percent sold on the Paleo diet, it is very similar to the SCD way of eating.  In their initial phase, they have even a more restrictive way of eating: no nuts, seeds, honey or eggs along with all the other banned foods.  It is a good thing to keep in mind, that if your diet has not relieved some of your symptoms within the first 10 days the high fat content of nuts or eggs might be a problem.  Try taking them out for a week and see if there are any improvements

All that said, here is a wonderful, juicy way to enjoy pork chops.  Just make sure they are antibiotic and hormone free.  Pork is notorious for being loaded with all kinds of preservatives, sugars, and antibiotics.  Best not even add pork to your menu if you cannot afford to eat them clean.

Sear-Roasted Pork Chops 

Prep time 

20 mins  

Cook time 

15 mins  

Total time 

35 mins  

  

Serves: 2 

Ingredients 

• 2 1" thick pastured pork chops, bone in, about 8oz each 
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced (I like to use rosemary, sage, or thyme) 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1 tablespoon solid cooking fat (coconut oil, lard, tallow, or duck fat) 

Instructions 

1. To prepare the pork chops, make a few slices through the fatty outer section of the chops, being careful not to slice the meat. Place them on a plate and let them come to room temperature before cooking. 

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the minced fresh herbs and sea salt in a small bowl. 

3. Heat the solid cooking fat in the bottom of a skillet on medium high heat. Meanwhile, rub the herb mixture all over both sides of the chops right before cooking. 

4. When the fat has melted and the pan is hot, sear the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on the first side, and a minute on the second. When they are finished, pick up one of the chops with tongs and sear the fatty outer layer of one chop for about 30 seconds, and then repeating for the other chop once finished, returning both to the pan on the same side. 

5. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 140. If your chops are thinner than 1" thick, they may not need as long in the oven.