Honey Garlic Pork Chops

To Salt the Meat (One Day Before Serving)

1. Gather 4 pieces boneless pork loin chops (½-inch thick) and 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
2. In a container or baking sheet, place the pork chops in a single layer. Then, evenly sprinkle the salt on both sides of the pork chops. Cover with plastic and keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours or at least overnight.

To Bake the Pork

1. Gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200ºF (93ºC). I used the convection oven, but you can also use the regular oven set at the same temperature. With a conventional oven, it will take slightly longer for the meat to reach 135ºF (57ºC).
2. Put the pork chops on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 tsp black pepper evenly on both sides of the pork.
3. Insert the probe in the center of the thickest pork chop. Bake at 200ºF (93ºC) and remove the pork when the internal temperature registers 135ºF (57ºC). We take them out before the pork is completely done cooking because we still need to sear them in the cast iron pan. Very Important: DO NOT cook the pork chops all the way through in the oven to the final temperature of 145ºF/63ºC because they will be dry and overcooked after searing.

To Make the Sauce

1. Meanwhile, make the honey garlic sauce. In a small saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp unsalted butter on medium heat and add 6 cloves garlic (minced).
2. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, around 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp sake, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned).
4. Add 4 Tbsp honey and whisk it all together. Cook on medium heat (or medium-low heat on a professional stove) until the alcohol evaporates and the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Try your best to thicken the sauce now, because doing so later in the skillet with the pork chops will overcook the meat.

To Sear the Pork

1. When the internal temperature of the pork reaches 135ºF (57ºC), it’s done cooking. It took roughly 45 minutes to finish cooking with the convection oven. It might take 1 hour if you use a conventional oven or longer if your pork is thicker. Detach the probe from the oven and remove it from the pork.
2. Heat the cast iron skillet on medium-high heat (or medium heat on a professional stove). Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil when the skillet is hot. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the pork chops in the skillet and sear for 1 minute. Do not move the pork chops during this time.
3. Flip the pork chops when the bottom side is nicely brown and sear the other side for 1 minute. Press down on the pork chops to give them good contact with the skillet for proper searing.
4. When the other side is also golden brown, pour the sauce into the pan and spoon the sauce over the pork chops a few times. Remove from the heat. By now, the pork‘s internal temperature should be 145ºF (63ºC).

To Serve

1. Serve the pork chops with the sauce on a plate. Garnish the pork chops with fresh thyme (optional). You can accompany this dish with roasted vegetables and steamed rice on the side. Enjoy!

To Store

1. Put the pork chops in an airtight container/bag and store them in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat, put the frozen pork chops in an oven preheated to 350ºF (150ºC).