Instructions

1. Take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature. Large cuts of pork, such as a loin, take about 45 minutes. Small cuts, such as chops, take about 20 minutes.

2. Pat the pork as dry as you can with paper towels. If the pork has skin, slice through the skin at 1/2-inch intervals to create a crosshatch pattern. Scoring the skin helps the skin crisp.

3. Season the pork to taste with kosher salt. Don't use fresh herbs or spices because they'll burn; you can add fresh herbs and spices after you brown the pork.

4. Pour about 1 inch of sunflower, grapeseed or peanut oil in a cast-iron skillet, a triple-ply stainless-steel pan or a wok (with stand) set on the stove. Use a pan designed for high temperatures, not nonstick or aluminum.

5. Set the stove to medium-high and heat the oil for about 5 minutes. Check the oil temperature in the center of the pan using a digital instant-read thermometer. Adjust the heat so the oil stays between 400 to 425 F.

6. Pat the pork dry once more and dredge it in flour or cornstarch. Starch absorbs residual moisture on the surface of the pork and helps it brown. Place the pork in the pan using heat-resistant tongs. Lay the pork in the pan away from you so if any oil splashes, it does so in the other direction.

7. Flash-brown the pork until a golden brown crust forms. Pork chops need about 30 to 40 seconds on each side. Pork loin takes about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes because you have to rotate it in the oil using tongs to brown it on all sides.

8. Transfer the pork to a plate lined with paper towels and blot up any excess oil. At this point, you can place the pork in a roasting dish and finish it in the oven; alternatively, put it in a braising dish and add a cooking liquid, then finish it on the stove.