Salt and Thyme Crusted Pork Chops with Onion and Sage Steak Sauce

Salt and Thyme Crusted Pork Chops
with Onion and Sage Steak Sauce

This is a super easy weeknight meal.  You can't have too many of these types of meals in your recipe file.

It's pork chops dusted with a salty herb flour crust; quickly pan seared and then finished in the oven, all topped with an onion and sage steak sauce.

The combination of a quick pan sear and the finish in the oven - along with the crust - keeps these chops really juicy.  It really works on any kind of pork chop, so I'm not going to specify here.  As long as the chops are about a half inch thick, you are good to go. 

I added A1® Steak Sauce* as my "semi-homemade" ingredient.  You can use any kind of steak sauce that you like or have on hand. 

This recipe is written for two.  But, of course, you can double or triple it as you need.

Salt and Thyme Crusted Pork Chops
with Onion and Sage Steak Sauce

For the Chops
2 pork chops (1/2 thick)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (coarsely ground)
Seasoned Salt, to taste (I used Lawry's®)
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil

For the Steak Sauce
1 tablespoon cold butter
1 tablespoon canola or light olive oil
1 cup sliced red onion
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
3-4 tablespoons bottled steak sauce (I used A1® brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat off pork chops with a paper towel. 

Dip pork chops in beaten egg.  Transfer to another pan containing flour and pepper.  Lightly dredge the chops in the mixture.  Shake off excess flour.  Transfer to a third "station" or pan containing the desired amount of seasoned salt mixed with the dried thyme.  Pat the salt and thyme mixture into both sides of the chops.

Note:  The flour coating should feel a little "sticky."  This is normal as it helps to create the flavorful crust.

Heat a non-stick pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Add oil.  Once oil is hot, add chops.  Sear on both sides for approximately three minutes the first side and about two the second. 

Transfer chops to a cookie sheet or baking dish.  Bake for 10 -13 minutes until the juices run clear and the center is no longer pink.  Adjust cooking time as needed.  Cooked temperature should be 145 degrees.

While chops are baking, add butter and oil to another skillet.  Once butter is melted, add onion.  Cook onion for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat until the onion begins to brown up on the ends.  Add the fresh chopped sage.  Mix in the steak sauce.  Stir well.

Serve sauce over pork chops.

For this meal, I added chopped, dried figs to a long grain and wild rice packaged mix.  I browned the rice up a little before adding the cooking water to give it a sweet, nutty flavor.  I also served roasted asparagus.  Got to have those veggies with every meal!

Yum!  Enjoy.  

Blogger's note:  I am going to be taking a couple of days off from blogging so that I can work on my book proposal and an article that I am writing.  I have also been asked to write two unique recipes for a local winery.   Yes, I still work a day job, so my extra activities have to be done at night.  Time is limited for me.  Life is happiest when busy. I'll be back this weekend with another tasty dinner idea and a special announcement about my hubby, Dan, including an update on his weight loss goals.

*Not an endorsement and no product was supplied to blogger.