Pan Seared Pasture-Raised Pork Chops with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Ingredients

For the pork

• 4 1 inch Pasture-Raised Pork Chops
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the veggies and sauce

• 2 Tablespoons butter, for veggies
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for veggies
• 1 pound asparagus
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk greek yogurt - pull this out of the fridge before you start cooking and prepping.
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to the “keep warm” setting - about 170°F.
2. Heat a dry 12" skillet over medium high heat. You want it to get HOT, at least 3-5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prep pork chops. Pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to snip the fat cap in 2 spots along the side of the chop. Sometimes when you sear pork chops, the thick strip of fat constricts, causing the pork chop to curl up on itself, meaning it won’t sear very well. Making cuts in the fat helps to avoid this curling.
4. Add 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, and 1/2 Tablespoon black pepper to a shallow bowl or plate - large enough to fit a pork chop - and stir it all together.
5. Dredge each pork chop in the flour mixture, coating well and making sure to get the edges. Do NOT discard the flour mixture that is leftover! You'll use it later.
6. When your skillet is very hot, add 1 Tablespoon each butter and olive oil. When the butter is melted and the oil shimmers, add each pork chop. Make sure there is plenty of space in between each chop so that they brown instead of steam. Cook in batches if needed!
7. Sear over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, then turn the heat to medium and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
8. When the chops are brown on the bottom, flip and cook on the second side over medium heat for another 4-5 minutes (chops are done when a meat thermometer reads 140°F). Depend on your meat thermometer more than the times.
9. Turn off the heat, remove pork chops to a baking sheet and place in the warm oven.
10. Prep your veggies: snap the woody ends off of the asparagus and slice into thirds, then slice the mushrooms. Set aside.
11. Using the same pan used for the pork chops, add 2 Tablespoons butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil to the still-hot skillet. Turn heat back to medium-high.
12. Add asparagus and mushrooms to the hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pork, until the asparagus is crisp-tender.
13. Remove the veggies to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.
14. Return the pan to the burner over medium-high heat, and add 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Let it bubble for 30 seconds or so until it starts reducing, scraping up any bits.
15. Gradually add 1 cup chicken broth while stirring and add 3 sprigs of thyme.
16. Whisk in all the remaining flour mixture that you dredged the pork chops in. Simmer until there are bubbles all across the top, to make sure that any contamination from the flour is cooked out.
17. Reduce the heat to medium and gradually whisk in the greek yogurt.
18. Add the pork chops and the veggies back into the skillet, including any juices. Let the pan sauce simmer gently on medium or medium low heat until the sauce has thickened somewhat, another 2-5 minutes.
19. Serve over Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes.