By Summer arrives, tomatoes from Robert's garden, writing daily at desk and blog, life of a retired writer-cook. The week was the life. The life was the cooking. The cooking was the love. And the love was the week, and the week was one of the weeks that stack together to become the years, and the years become the life, and the life is the woman at the stove who cooks and writes and loves and does not stop.
I made she-crab soup on Sunday — the anchor, the constant, the practice. The soup was perfect. The perfection was the practice. And the practice continues, one Sunday at a time, one bowl at a time, one life at a time, the woman stirring, the roux thickening, the kitchen warm, the family fed, the love alive.
The she-crab soup is my Sunday constant — but what follows it into the week is just as deliberate, just as practiced. I made these pork chops alongside the soup, tucked them away for the days ahead, because that is what a cook-writer does: she builds the week in advance, she fills the refrigerator the way she fills the page, one careful layer at a time. Robert’s tomatoes were on the counter, the kitchen was warm, and there was something deeply right about cooking ahead — trusting that Tuesday and Wednesday would thank me for what I did on Sunday.
Cook-Ahead Pork Chops
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in pork loin chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Season the chops. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder; rub evenly over both sides of each chop.
- Sear for color. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear chops 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the same pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the liquids. Stir in diced tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Braise low and slow. Return the seared pork chops to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes until chops are tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Cool and store. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer chops and sauce to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven, covered, until warmed through.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg