Instructions

1. Select 1-inch-thick, bone-in pork chops at your butcher or grocery store. Rinse each pork chop thoroughly under cold running water, then gently pat dry with paper towels.

2. Prepare a seasoning rub for the chops. Use coarse salt, black pepper, a little garlic powder and onion powder. Mix these seasonings in a small bowl with a few fresh herbs and a little brown sugar. Rub both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning mixture, then set the chops on a plate and refrigerate them for half an hour. You can also add flour to the seasoning mixture and dredge the pork chops in the flour-seasoning mixture until they are well coated, then refrigerate.

3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, shallow baking dish with aluminum foil and place the seasoned pork chops in a single layer in the dish. Bake the chops for 20 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the chops reaches the USDA-recommended 145 F. When this temperature is reached, remove the chops from the oven and allow them to set for three to five minutes. This allows the meat's juices to distribute more evenly throughout each pork chop and makes them easier to cut.

4. Serve the chops with rice, mashed potatoes or grits for a real Southern-style dinner. Add fresh corn on the cob and some biscuits to complete the meal. For a moist, tasty alternative, buy or make your favorite onion and mushroom gravy and pour it over the chops during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time, then serve over rice. Create a Cajun-style variation by adding finely chopped red and green peppers to the gravy, then pour over the chops to finish baking.