P ork chops have a tendency to buckle as they cook, making it hard to maintain even contact with the pan This happens when the layer of fat around the chop’s exterior shrinks faster than the meat inside, squeezing it and causing it to buckle To prevent this from happening, score the fat in two or three places with a sharp knife Your chops won’t look as flawless, but they’ll cook a heck of a lot more evenly BASIC PAN-SEARED PORK CHOPS Just as with beef, it’s better to cook pork bone-in While the bone won’t add flavor to your meat, it does act as an insulator, and there is less exposed surface area with a bone-in chop, which helps it to retain more moisture as it cooks For best results, season the chops, place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 45 minutes and up to 3 days SERVES 4 Four 6- to 8-ounce bone-in pork chops (blade-end or rib), about 1 inch thick, brined if desired (see here) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (optional) Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt (omit the salt if the chops were brined) and pepper Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet over high heat until smoking Carefully add the chops and cook, flipping them frequently, until both sides have developed a light brown crust (if the oil starts to burn or smokes incessantly, reduce the heat to medium-low), ... 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (optional) Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt (omit the salt if the chops were brined) and pepper Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet... Carefully add the chops and cook, flipping them frequently, until both sides have developed a light brown crust (if the oil starts to burn or smokes incessantly, reduce the heat to medium-low), ... Four 6- to 8-ounce bone-in pork chops (blade-end or rib), about 1 inch thick, brined if desired (see here) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (optional)