EASY SEASONING FOR PORK CHOPS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and black pepper, and brown them on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Set chops aside.
• Mix the water, rice, tomato sauce, picante sauce, and taco seasoning in the prepared baking dish. Lay the chops into the rice mixture, and top with the green bell pepper slices. Cover the dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chops are no longer pink inside and the rice is tender, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Uncover the dish, and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
• Return to the oven, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5 to 10 more minutes.

Steps:

• Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator and season on both sides with salt and pepper — we use just less than 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt per pork chop. Set the chops aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190° C).
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet — such as a cast iron pan — over medium-high heat. As soon as the oil is hot and looks shimmery, pat the pork dry, and then add the pork. Cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. While the pork sears, scatter half of the thyme over the side of the pork chops that are facing up.
• Flip the pork so that the seared side is facing up. (If there is a fattier side of the pork, use kitchen tongs to hold the chops, fat-side-down until it sizzles and browns slightly; about 30 seconds.)
• Scatter the remaining thyme over the seared side of the pork. Arrange lemon wedges around the chops, and then loosely cover with foil or tuck parchment paper around the pan. Slide the skillet into the oven to finish cooking. (If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pork chops to a baking dish.)
• Bake 8 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the chop. (Since cook time depends on the thickness of the chops, check for doneness at 5 minutes, then go from there, checking every 2 minutes.) If you do not have a thermometer, you will know they are done, if the juices run clear when cutting into the chops.
• Transfer pork chops to a plate, then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes. Serve with additional herbs, roasted lemon wedges, and a spoonful of pan juices on top.