Ingredients
Units
Scale
for the chimichurri:
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley (enough to yield 1 cup minced)
- 1 bunch chives (enough to yield 1/3 cup minced)
- 4 garlic cloves (enough to yield 2 tablespoons minced)
- 1 whole red chili pepper (enough to yield 1 tablespoon minced)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt, to taste
for the pork chops:
- 4 boneless pork chops (about 7 oz. each)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking oil or spray
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Rinse and pick the parsley leaves from their stems; some smaller stem pieces are okay to leave in. Mince the parsley leaves and chives, then peel and mince the garlic and mince the chili pepper. Add these 4 ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Combine the coriander, cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds in a dry pan. Toast lightly over medium heat, tossing and swirling often, for about 2 minutes. You’ll know their done when they become fragrant and very lightly browned.
- Pour the toasted spices into a mortar and pestle.
- Grind the whole seeds into a powder. It will never get as fine as the pre-ground spices you’ll get from the store and that’s just fine if a few larger bits remain.
- Add the spice mixture to the bowl with your herb mixture, then add the olive oil, cider vinegar, and salt.
- Stir until well combined. You’ll see the chimichurri start seeping some moisture as the acid and salt pulls moisture from the greens. This is good! Cover and refrigerate the chimi for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight. This resting time is important to let the flavors mellow and marry–this is what takes it from being a simple combination of ingredients to being a fully flavored sauce.
- Pat the pork chops dry and heat a large oiled skillet over medium high heat. Mix the salt and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
- Season the chops with the garlic and salt mixture on both sides immediately before cooking. If you do this too early, the pork chops will develop surface moisture so make sure to do it just before they hit the heat!
- Place the seasoned chops in the skillet and Add and sear for about 5 minutes per side, flipping as needed to develop even golden browning on all sides. Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of each pork chop, pulling it when 145℉ is reached. If you have a large enough pan, you can cook all of the chops at once but I was taking my time on this recipe so I cooked them 2 by 2.
- Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board or plate and let them rest for about 5 minutes to redistribute all of those delicious juices. Slice and serve with your handmade chimichurri dribbled over the top!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sear
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 558
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 1009 mg
- Fat: 40.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
- Protein: 45.9 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg