Baked Pork Chop with Sage-Honey Butter
Pork chops pan-fried to perfection with oil that is infused with sage. Fried sage is both delicate and crispy, so it adds the perfect herbaceous hint when joining sweet honey in the butter, melting into a river of richness into the meat.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs of fresh sage
- 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey
Instructions
For the Pork Chops
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a plate with a paper towel. Stem the sage.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sage to the hot pan and stir constantly until leaves are crispy and slightly darker in color, 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer sage to a towel-lined plate. Reserve pan and oil.
- Return pan used to crisp the sage to medium-high heat. Add pork chops to the hot pan. Cook undisturbed until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
- Flip pork chops, seared side up and turn off the heat. Place the pan in the oven and roast until chops are browned and reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees, 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the pork chops from the pan and allow them to rest on a plate or cutting board for 1-2 minutes before cutting into them. While they rest, make the butter.
- Serve immediately with the butter on top.
For the Butter
- Crumble the fried sage into a small mixing bowl. Combine with softened butter, honey, and a pinch of pepper.
- Serve this on top of the pork chop.