Parmesan Pork Chops with Roasted Vegetables
An easy, one sheet, pork chop & veggie meal, and so delicious!
One night a week was Pork Chop Night when I was growing up. Another was meatloaf night, hamburger night, spam/noodle casserole night and later on pizza and later still, taco night (can you believe there was a time when tacos were not well known or eaten in the US??) Like any wise mother will do, a circulation of the things my mother knew we would all eat (which included 8-10 entrees) was the easiest way to plan dinners that would be consumed and not whined about.
Pork Chop Night featured a fried pork chop, with mashed potatoes and a rich milk/pork-drippings gravy, green beans and maybe jello or pineapple slices with whipped cream on top and a cherry in the middle. As much as we enjoyed the meal, there were “hangers-on” in the kitchen as the pork chops were prepared, ready to snatch up the “cracklings” that were fried in the cast iron pan before (the bits of fat trimmed from the pork chops, fried to render the fat and crisp up the little nuggets.) With a dash of salt, they were a favorite treat! Maybe that’s what lured me into the kitchen in the first place as I would be happy to chop the veggies for a salad in order to eat the first of 6 dibs on at least some of the cracklings. I even had the thought that an entire meal of cracklings might be glorious!
When I was young, pork was put on the naughty list for being a carrier of disease (Trichinosis), a source of “high cholesterol”, and not good for you as it was often fatty, but oh, how times and ideas changed! Pork became “the other white meat”, fat was taken off the “devil list” and people became better informed on how long to cook pork.
Thus enters another problem - dry, tough, pork chops, but a few simple techniques can solve that problem (read notes below). Nothing tops pork for flavor and the pig has once again joined the ranks of desirable animals upon which we feast.
This recipe involves roasting to bring out the sweetness of the veggies, and richness of the pork. Complemented with the nutty and crusty edges of Parmesan cheese this is a great “busy family night” dinner. A bit of chopping required and time to marinate need to be given some forethought but once that is all accomplished, it all goes on one sheet pan and into the oven for 30 minutes or so resulting in a Pork Chop Night everyone will look forward to each week (and don’t forget the cracklings - a great way to lure young helpers into the kitchen!)
PARMESAN PORK CHOPS WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
4 - 6 pork chops on bone, medium (3/4 to 1 inch thick)
2-3 garlic cloves minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
Juice of 1 medium lemon
3 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil for the meat marinade
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound Brussel sprouts, ends trimmed
8 - 10 baby carrots, peeled
2 medium red potatoes, cut into 8ths
1/2 red onion, slivered
1 red pepper, trimmed and seeded, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
6 ounces fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 cup cubed acorn or butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup melted butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste (lemon pepper may be used)
TO PREPARE:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Combine the oil, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika and thyme. Place the pork chops in a large Ziploc bag together with the oil mixture to marinate. Seal the bag and gently massage the meat with the marinade until well distributed. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the prepared vegetables on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Mix and toss vegetables with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper. Spread vegetables out to cover baking sheet in a single layer.
Place the pork chops on top of the veggies and pour extra marinade over the vegetables.
Combine melted butter with garlic, parsley, smoked paprika and 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Bake pork and veggies at 425F for about 25 minutes until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees and potatoes and squash can be pierced easily with a fork.
Top each pork chop with 2-3 tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese. Pour butter sauce over vegetables and toss gently. Place baking tray under broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove tray from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Serves 4 - 6
A beautiful medly of vegetables just waiting for you to glam them up with seasonings and flavor!
Place marinated pork chops on top of veggies to bake to tender doneness - a one-sheet meal!.
Tender and flavorful pork and veggies!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**Use the vegetables you like the most for the vegetable medley. If you are not a fan of Brussel sprouts or squash, leave them out. Broccoli and cauliflower are also good in this recipe as well as whole mushrooms. What ever your taste dictates (or the tastes of your family or guests) as you will want people to enjoy the dish!
**How to cook tender, succulent pork chops: (taken from https://www.inspiredtaste.net/37062/juicy-skillet-pork-chops/). These directions apply to pork chops cooked in a skillet. The process of marinating the chops for this recipe, adds the salt to help tenderize, and also flavors the meat.
Tip #1: Don’t cook chops straight from the refrigerator. Thirty minutes before you plan to cook, take the chops out of the fridge.
The time out of the refrigerator lets you bring the meat up to room temperature, which helps the pork cook more evenly throughout. Use this trick for other cuts of meat like pork tenderloin or steak.
Tip #2:Season the chops with salt half an hour before cooking. This way, the salt has a chance to improve the flavor and texture of the meat. Pork chops are pretty lean, so seasoning with salt before cooking is essential for making the most flavorful chops.
Tip #3:Rub the chops with spices and a little bit of flour. Here’s where your favorite spice rub can come in. Rubbing a small amount of flour over the chops helps to add a flavorful crust.
Tip #4: Sear on one side, flip then cover with a lid. We use this trick a lot, it’s how we cook chicken breasts so that they are juicy and use the same concept when grilling meat.
First, we sear one side of the chops until browned then we flip them, turn down the heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid. The second side will slowly turn golden brown, and since we added the lid, the heat from the pan will gently cook the middle. By gently cooking the chops this way, they remain juicy and become tender.
Tip #5: Let the cooked chops rest. The moment they are cooked, transfer them to a clean plate and cover with foil. After 5 minutes all the juices inside the chops will have distributed around the meat.
**If you would like a darker sear for the chops in this recipe you can sear them on one side over high heat in a hot skillet with oil before placing them on top of the vegetables. This will partially cook the meat so your cooking time will be less. Let the temperature of the meat (145 degrees) be your guide for doneness and tenderness. If your chops are finished before your vegetables are tender, remove the chops and keep them warm on a plate covered with foil, until the vegetables are almost finished. Replace chops to the baking tray and finish with Parmesan Cheese under the broiler.
