Montreal Pork Chops are Bone-in or Boneless Pork Chops, seasoned with Montreal Steak Seasoning. Seared in Rendered Fat from the trimmings off the Pork Chops. Serve these up with some Steak Sauce, Pan Sauce or Gravies.
How you want to cook them is really up to you and how thick the pork chops are. You can season the pork chops before cooking or afterwards.
Pork Chops
Any thickness of Pork Chops can be used. Thinner Pork Chops can just be pan seared. While Thicker cuts will need to be Pan Seared and finished in the Oven or Reversed Seared.
Thin Pork Chops
Thin Boneless or Bone in Pork Chops at about 1/2 inch.
Thick Pork Chops
Thick 1 Inch Bone In or Boneless Pork Chop.
Rendered Fat
Trim the Pork Chops of excess fat and chop up into small pieces. This will be used to render the fat out in preparation for searing the Pork Chops.
Cook the small pieces of fat trimmings over medium heat until the fat has been rendered. For more information on rendered fat, check out my post Rendered Fat. If you end up with very little fat, you can add more using Lard or Oil.
Smaller pieces will render out quicker than larger pieces. Anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
Montreal Steak Seasoning
What a wonderful blend of spices and the flavors it adds to meat, either directly or marinated. Brush the Pork Chops with Oil and season with Montreal Steak Spice, or Season after they have been seared and let rest.
Consider using a homemade blend of Montreal Steak Seasoning to keep this dish as a Whole Foods. Sear with rendered Fat, Ghee, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
When To Season the Meat
Brush with Oil and season the Meat with Montreal Steak Spice, cover and refrigerate well in advance before you plan to cook. This gives it time to rehydrate. If the Pork Chops can be cooked through to the desired doneness within 3 minutes per side, then just sear the Pork Chops. If on the other hand they will not be cooked through. Then either sear and finish in the oven or reverse sear the Pork Chops.
Seasoning after Cooking
You can also season the meat after it has been seared. This allows the Pork Chops to be seared for as long as they needed to be cooked to the desired internal temp. Montreal Steak Spice is added immediately after searing, or even just coming off the heat, and then rested. The rest time also rehydrates the seasoning.
This method is especially good when you don’t want to wait around for the seasoning to rehydrate. With this method, there is no burning of the spices at all, they are just rehydrated, adding a fresh taste to the Meat, and they can go straight to the pan right after rendering the fat.
However, brushing with Oil, Seasoning the Pork Chops with the Montreal Steak Spice and allowing it to rest also rehydrates the seasoning and gets the flavor deeper into the meat. Either way is fine and really comes down to preference.
Brush the Steaks With Oil
Brush the Meat with Oil. For this, I really like the use of JAH Meat Oil. It has a slight Smokey with Umami flavors that works very well with both Pork & Beef. Then Montreal Steak Seasoning is used. The Oil will also assist in rehydrating the Montreal Steak Spice.
Meat Oil
- 1 C Sunflower Oil
- 1 Tbl Soy Sauce & Worcestershire
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 tsp MSG, optional
How to Sear Pork Chops
Make sure that the meat is completely thawed and at room temp. If refrigerated, take the meat out about 30 minutes to an hour before you plan on cooking.
Before searing, ensure that the rendered fat is heated hot over medium heat. You should see wisps of Smoke. When placing the meat into the pan, leave it be, don’t move it around.
Thin Pork Chops
Thin Pork Chops at about 1/2 inch will only need to be seared in the hot rendered fat for about 2–3 minutes per side, depending on thickness and how done you prefer your pork chops. Whether they are seasoned or not. An extra minute or so for Bone in.
A 3/4 inch Seasoned Pork Chop you can push to a 4-minute sear, but you do risk burning the spices up. Unless you are seasoning afterwards, in which case you can sear until the desired level of doneness. If already seasoned before cooking, then limit the sear to 3 minutes as to not burn the spices and finish in the oven.
Thick Pork Chops
With thicker cuts, either Pan Sear for the desired time and Season afterwards or Pan sear for 3 minutes per side and finish in the oven or Reverse sear them. The reverse sear is my favorite way, and I use this method with about 1 inch thick Bone in Pork Chops.
If only searing and seasoning afterwards, 1 inch boneless Pork Chops will take about 5 minutes per side. Add about 1 minute or so per side for Bone in.
How to reverse sear pork chops
Brush the Pork Chops with Oil and Season with Montreal Steak Spice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Place Seasoned Pork Chops on a broiler pan and into a preheated oven at 300 F. Let cook for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 15 degrees below your target internal temp.
Times will vary depending on the thickness of your Pork Chops. For best results, use a thermometer.
When 8–10 minutes of cook time remain, start heating up the skillet with the rendered fat over medium heat. Remove the Pork Chops from the oven when done, and go directly to searing for 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle more Montreal Steak Spice and let rest.
This will bring a 1 inch – 1 1/2 inch bone in Pork Chop to an internal temp of about 130 F and the searing will take it up to about 147 F internal temp before being rested. Use an oven thermometer for better accuracy, and adjust the times based on thickness and desired internal temp.
With thicker cuts of meat, leave them in the oven until they are about 15 degrees away from the desired internal temperature. Then Sear the Meat for 3 minutes per side.
Montreal Pork Chops Sauces
Serve Montreal Pork Chops with a variety of Sauces/Pan Sauces or Gravies. I do love these with HP Steak Sauce. But there are a bunch of pan sauces that can be made up or the Pork Chops basted in added Butter, Garlic Clove and fresh Herbs.
Saucy Steak
Saucy Steak, with a Red & White Steak Sauce that contrast each other.
With HP Sauce
Montreal Pork Chop with a bit of HP Sauce and Mashed Sweet Potatoes. HP Sauce is a wonderful Steak Sauce and just as good with Pork Chops.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Broiler Pan For Reverse Seared Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 Pork Chops - Bone In or Boneless
- As Needed Oil - or JAH Meat Oil
- As Needed Montreal Steak Spice
Instructions
- Completely thaw the Pork Chops. Trim off any excess fat, leaving a bit on the Pork Chops, and save this to render out later. Brush Oil and Season the Pork Chops with Montreal Steak Spice, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the Pork Chops from the Fridge and let stand at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour. Unless you plan on seasoning afterwards, in which case just leave the Pork Chops on the counter to come to room temp. No need to brush with oil.
- Chop the trimmed fat into small pieces. Render the Fat in a Large Skillet over medium heat until golden crisp and there is adequate fat in the pan to coat the bottom. Discard the Crackling. Add more fat if needed, using Lard or Oil, and allow the pan to get hot again.
Searing Seasoned Pork
- The Skillet is now primed for searing, which is limited to 3 minutes per side as to not burn up the seasoning.If your Seasoned Pork Chops are about 1/2 ", sear for 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and sprinkle more Montreal Steak Spice on before resting.If the Seasoned Pork Chops are 3/4" you can push the sear to 4 minutes per side, but you do risk burning the spices. Optionally finish them off in the oven after a 3 minute per side sear.With 1" or thicker Seasoned Pork Chops, you will need to finish the pork chops off in the oven until the desired internal temp is reached or reverse sear the Pork Chops. See notes.
Seasoning after Searing
- Sear the Pork Chops until the desired level of doneness. Use the below guideline. Adjust the times for the desired internal temperature.1/2" – Sear for 2–3 minutes per side. 3/4" – Sear for 4 minutes per side. 1" – Sear for 5 minutes per side. Add about an extra minute or so if Bone in.Season the Pork Chops again with some Montreal Steak Spice and let rest.
Notes
Pork Chop Internal Temperature
- 145 F – 150 F for Medium Rare
- 150 F – 155 F for Medium
- 155 F – 160 F for Medium Well
- 160 F for Well Done