Winter is in full swing, as are the notorious Midwest snowstorms and frigid temperatures. It's only fitting to have a warm and easy meal when we get back inside from shoveling out from the inevitable snowstorm.
A warm pork chop, surrounded by tender vegetables, is sure to warm our hearts and let us forget about the cold just beyond the door. A simple cast iron meal is always my go-to in the winter months; it’s easy to make and fun to experiment with various flavor combinations. From the warmth of brown sugar and honey to the sweetness of pears and rustic potatoes, arrange the ingredients on a pan in the oven, and you'll have a delicious meal in no time.
The secret is the arrangement of ingredients. Putting vegetables on the bottom of the pan allows every drip of fat from the pork chop to automatically baste the rest of your ingredients. The carrots, parsnips and everything else being cooked from the oven's heat are also being cooked from the juices dripping upon them—the perfect environment for a flavorful dish. Don't forget to experiment with other vegetables—cooking is all about making a recipe your own and enjoying it with those around you.
Cast Iron Pork Chops
- 2 pork chops
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup honey
- ½ lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper, to taste.
Pan Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp. butter
- 1 pear, quartered
- 4 red potatoes, quartered
- 1 white onion, roughly diced
- 2 sage springs
- 2 rosemary springs
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, add brown sugar, honey and lemon juice. Mix until well combined. Rub the brown sugar mixture over the pork chop, and let it rest. Add the butter to a cast iron pan, and place it in the oven. Once melted, add in the pan ingredients. Place the pork chops on top of the ingredients. Cook until the pork reaches 145 degrees or about 30-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork. Every 10 minutes, spoon the juices and butter over the ingredients. Remove the pork from the oven, and cover the pan with tin foil. Let the vegetables continue to cook until they are done while the pork rests. Once the vegetables are done, serve them with the pork, and spoon any juices over the pork.
Spencer Olson, who is from the area, continues to expand his cooking repertoire. Taste more at thewoodenspoonchefs.com.
