Being that I’m out of town for an extended period of time, I have to fend for myself most of the time when it comes to the food department. I’ve never really been a fan of cooking, and it’s especially difficult when it’s just a meal for one. There’s so much prep that has to be done and there’s of course the cleanup. I don’t mind cleaning up so much, it’s mostly all the prep stuff.
But with a Whole Foods just barely half-a-mile away, it’s been very easy to partake in their “oven-ready” selection as well as their other wonderful food bars. So once again tonight, I rolled over there after a nice run to grab a bite to eat. This time it was pork chops and the guy behind the counter recommended that I sear it first before popping it in the oven. “No problem”, I thought…I can handle that!
Well here’s a crash course for somebody who’s never seared before. Don’t let the pan get too hot (medium - medium high should do) and don’t put in too much oil (just enough to coat the bottom - don’t forget that some of it will displace when you put the chop in). Not only did I do both, but I also tossed the pork chop into the pan like I was pitching horseshoes. Mayhem and oil erupted all over the place!
oops! If you look closely at that picture, you’ll notice something under my feet. Yes, those are paper towels. Yes, it’s because the oil even got on the floor. Yes, I made a gigantic mess. And yes, it was absolutely ridiculous and I laughed out loud. Regardless, the pork chop came out pretty darn good and was a nice treat when combined with the Chinese chicken salad and a little light jazz and some mood lighting from my laptop (Fn-PgUp for you ThinkPad folk).
And of course, for your culinary viewing pleasure: