Cast Iron Pork Chops with Roasted Cabbage
Prep time | 10 minutes
Cook time | 20-30 minutes
Category
Difficulty
Serves
Lunch or Dinner
Easy
2
Ingredients
POrk Chops Roasted Cabbage
- 2 thick-cut bone-in pork chops, about 2.5–3 cm thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
- ½ large green cabbage
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp butter
01
Prepare the cabbage
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
Cut the cabbage into thick wedges, keeping a little of the core attached so the wedges hold together.
Place the cabbage on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
Rub the seasoning over both sides.
Roast for approximately 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through. You want the edges to become deeply browned and slightly crispy while the centre remains tender.
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02
Season the pork
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towel. This is important because a dry surface will give you a much better crust.
Mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and thyme together and rub over both sides of the chops.
Let them sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes while the cabbage cooks.
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03
Cook the Pork
Place your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to become properly hot.
Add the oil and carefully place the pork chops into the pan.
Cook without moving them for about 3–4 minutes, until a beautiful golden-brown crust develops.
Turn the chops and cook the other side for another 3 minutes.
Add the butter and aromatics.Reduce the heat to medium.
Add the butter, crushed garlic and fresh thyme or rosemary.
As the butter melts, tilt the pan slightly and repeatedly spoon the hot, flavoured butter over the pork chops.
Continue cooking until the pork reaches an internal temperature of approximately 63°C (145°F), followed by a short rest.
For thick chops, you may need another 2–5 minutes depending on their size.
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04
Finish the cabbage
When the cabbage is beautifully caramelised, remove it from the oven.
For an extra hit of flavour, put the cabbage wedges into the still-warm pork pan for a minute or two, allowing them to pick up some of those delicious browned pork and butter juices.
To Serve
Place a roasted cabbage wedge on each plate and top with the cast iron pork chop.
Spoon some of the garlic-herb butter from the skillet over the pork and cabbage.
For a little extra freshness, finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly chopped parsley.
NotesFor an even more indulgent version, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the buttery pan juices after removing the pork. Stir it together with a small splash of chicken stock or water to create a quick garlic-Dijon pan sauce.It's fantastic drizzled over the pork and roasted cabbage.
Approximate nutrition per serving: 550–650 calories, 45–55g protein, 30–40g fat and roughly 10–12g net carbs, depending on the size of the pork chops and cabbage..
Surfing over shallow coral reef at Little Pass in Tahiti. Yes, I did get a "Tahitian Tattoo".
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