Having four children presents some challenges when it comes to meal time, specifically lack of agreement about what we like. I made these one night, fully anticipating at least one “push and poke” kid straggling at the table looking like someone was asking them to eat mashed poop. To my surprise, they were asking for seconds. The best part? This took me about 5 minutes total prep, and 35 min cooking time. Score. The kids have named this one “The bomb” pork. Could be worse. I’ll take it.
You’ll need :
- Pork loin, large enough to feed your family
- a (preferably cast-iron) skillet
- some kind of oil for the pan. I like bacon fat, grassfed butter, or unflavored coconut oil.
- a baking dish
- Spices. Specifically: Chili powder, Paprika, garlic, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper
- A side dish. Sweet potatoes pair nicely. (3 out of 4 children agree)
Preheat oven to 350° . Cut pork loin into chops, about 1″ thick. In a sealable bowl or baggie, put 2 tbsp Chili powder, 1 Tbsp Paprika, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 2 tsp sea salt, black pepper to taste. I also like to add a pinch of cayenne. Shake it up, then spoon it over both sides of the pork slices. Get your fingers dirty and rub it in. The kids LOVE helping with this – just make sure they wash their hands with soap before AND after. Black pepper and Cayenne in the eyes is no bueno. Trust me.
Melt your oil-of-choice over medium high heat in skillet. Once hot, add your Pork loins and sear all sides. This seals in the juices and spices. Place them into the baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, turning once.
You can slice up some sweet taters and add some cinnamon and add them to the baking pan. This is delish. Another great side is brussels sprouts. (only 1 of 4 kids agrees with that.)
That’s it. I know, right? You’re welcome.
CAVE Momma! 