Oven-Baked Pork Chops with Potatoes and Original Dust
Serves
4
Prep
15 mins
Cook
40–50 mins
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These oven baked pork chops with potatoes use a potato head start so the chops spend less time in the oven. Cut the potatoes small, choose evenly thick chops and finish both with measured Original Desert Dust after the high-heat roast.
Make it with The Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Ingredients
4 boneless pork loin chops, about 6 ounces (170 g) each and 1 inch thick, fully thawed
1½ pounds (680 g) yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided
1 level tablespoon (15 ml) Original Desert Dust
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Directions
Start the potatoes. Heat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Dry the potato pieces and toss with 1½ tablespoons oil on a large rimmed sheet pan. Spread in one layer with space between them. Roast 25 minutes, turning once.
Reserve the finish. Before handling pork, stir the Dust, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon oil in a clean bowl; reserve separately. Pat the thawed chops dry and rub with the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Keep raw-meat utensils away from the finishing mixture.
Add the chops. Move the partly cooked potatoes toward the edges and set the chops in open spaces directly on the pan. Return to the oven for about 15–25 minutes, turning the chops once. Start checking the pork after 12 minutes.
Check each part. Remove each chop to a clean plate once its thickest center reaches 145°F (63°C), probing from the side. Potatoes must be fork-tender; if they need longer, leave them roasting while the pork rests. A browned surface alone does not show either is ready.
Rest and season. Rest the pork for 5 minutes, exceeding the USDA minimum 3-minute rest. Stir the reserved lemon-Dust mixture; spoon half over the chops and toss the remainder with the hot potatoes. Taste before adding salt, since Dust already contains it.
Cooking timing: 40–50 mins + 5 mins resting.
The Dust In This Recipe
The Original Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with The Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦The Date Is the DifferenceOrganic Coachella Valley dates bring sweetness, body and depth.
✦Smoky & EarthyA balanced all-purpose blend made for everyday cooking.
Potatoes need longer than 1-inch pork loin chops. The 25-minute head start gives the small pieces time to soften and brown before the meat joins them. Remove pork as each chop reaches its temperature, even if the potatoes need a few more minutes.
WHAT KIND OF PORK CHOPS SHOULD I BUY?
Use boneless loin chops roughly 1 inch thick and similar in size. Very thin chops can dry out before this schedule ends, while thick or bone-in chops need different timing. Shoulder steaks are a different cut; this recipe is written for loin chops.
HOW SMALL SHOULD I CUT THE POTATOES?
Aim for ¾-inch pieces with similar thickness. Yellow potatoes hold their shape well, and their skins can stay on. Larger chunks take longer; check with a fork before serving. A crowded or small pan can steam the potatoes instead of browning them.
WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD THE PORK REACH?
USDA recommends 145°F (63°C) in the center of pork chops before removal from heat, followed by at least 3 minutes rest. This recipe rests them 5 minutes. Insert the thermometer from the side and check each chop; color is not a doneness test.
WHEN DO I ADD ORIGINAL DUST?
After roasting. Original Dust contains ground dates, so mixing it with lemon and oil for a finishing spoonful keeps it away from the hottest pan. Reserve this mixture before handling raw meat, and use clean utensils for serving.
CAN I ADD OTHER VEGETABLES TO THE PAN?
Only if there is room to keep everything in one layer. Different vegetables cook at different rates and release different amounts of water, so they may need a separate tray. The stated quantities and timing cover potatoes only; extra vegetables change the schedule.
HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVERS AND CHECK ALLERGENS?
Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), in shallow containers at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Original Dust lists mustard; check current labels and cross-contact guidance.
