Honey Rosemary Pork Chops

Today’s recipe is another entry in my “What Do I Do With These Boring Cuts of Meat from the Grocery Store?” diary. Much like boneless skinless chicken breasts, those little three or four packs of center-cut boneless pork chops tend to jump in my buggy at the store at least once a week.  I’m not talking about the delicious, thick-cut, begging-to-be grilled chops.  These guys are thin.  Not paper thin, but thin enough to go from tender to shoe leather in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine while making dinner.

Why do grocery stores ubiquitously cut their pork this way? Do they want us to think pork is supposed to be chewy and grey when cooked? Because it’s soooo easy to turn those tiny chops into exactly that!  Maybe the stores are in cahoots with the chicken people…

Cooking a perfect chop is absolutely possible on the range, but I think it’s easiest under the broiler.  With a timer set and the chops happily sizzling away under the brutal but consistent heat of the broiler, I am free to cook the rest of our meal for the evening ( or pour a glass of wine … ) without worrying about the inconsistent heat of my range over or under cooking them.

This recipe is actually based on a grilled pork chop recipe made by Plain Chicken, but I’ve adapted it for the broiler, once again, for the consistent heat and ease of clicking on my broiler over getting our charcoal grill going.  I love how the floral and earthy flavors of the fresh rosemary combine with the natural sweetness from high quality honey to create a nice, thin glaze over the chops that locks in their moisture and gives a perfect crisp to the edges.