Searing pork chops over medium heat instead of high heat ensures that the meat cooks through evenly and stays juicy. A bit of sugar in the spice mix gives the pork a nice color and caramelized crust. The whole dish—chops plus a glazy sauce—comes together in under half an hour. The seasoning options are endless (think caraway seeds, turmeric, Aleppo pepper) and leftovers also taste great cold. In this master recipe, the warming heat of mustard seeds and ginger becomes even more aromatic with a generous dose of dried onion and cumin.
Coarsely grind the cumin, onion, and mustard together and immediately mix with the ginger and brown sugar. Or mix together 3⁄4 teaspoon pre-ground cumin, 2 1⁄2 teaspoons granulated onion, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pre-ground yellow mustard powder with the ginger and brown sugar.
For the Pork Chops
Coat the pork chops with the spice mix on all sides and then season the chops with salt.
Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan (1 to 2 tablespoons) and add the chops right away (you don’t want the oil to get hot first). Reduce the heat to medium so the chops sizzle steadily. Cook, turning once, until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 150°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the orange juice to the pan and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the juice reduces to a syrupy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Slice the pork at an angle from top to bottom and drizzle the sauce on top.
Recipe Note
Make ahead:
The spice-rubbed pork without salt can be cooked immediately or covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking. Season with salt before cooking.
