I think it’s safe to say that in the past year I’ve learned more about meat than in any of my previous years manning the helm of my cast iron collection. After spending the better part of the winter writing and cooking and testing 50 recipes for The Meat Cookbook, I can bone a chicken without even thinking about it and making ribs comes as easily these days as making pie dough. I even made a turducken, for Heaven’s sake! If only my 18 year old vegetarian self could have seen me stuffing pats of butter between layers of birds…

This is all to say, however, that no matter how much knowledge I’ve acquired in the kitchen, there is always more to learn. It was only recently, in fact, that I learned that pork can be served a delightfully pink medium. Gone are the days of pork chops so dry you drain your water glass with the first bite, these days chefs and home cooks a like are gravitating towards a more tender experience. For this month’s North Carolina Pork Council recipe I took on the pan-seared porterhouse, a new name for a classic cut. Lightly spiced and seared in butter and olive oil to an internal temperature of 120F, this pork chop has given me a fresh appreciation for everything that pork can be. I can’t believe I’ve spent so many years in the dark! Three cheers for seared and medium-rare pork!

This post is sponsored by the North Carolina Pork Council.

Pan Seared Pork Porterhouse
serves 2

2 bone-in cuts of pork porterhouse (also known as bone-in pork chops)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salted butter

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika to taste

Clean and season your pork on both sides. Combine oil and butter in a skillet and bring the skillet to a medium-high temperature. Cook the chops 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve.