Goat cheese. Petite carrots. PORK CHOPS. Need I say more? These turned out so good my brother actually sat there eating the sauce with hunks of delicious, fresh bread from Costco by the spoonful. The sauce is absolutely heavenly. The spices bring out the flavor of the pork just enough. And the sweet bite of the carrots with both makes this one delicious dish. It takes a bit of time but it is well worth it! Rich, creamy, sweet and savory all in one bite.
The key to any tough meat, especially pork chops, is some sort of brine or marinade to soften the meat. In this case, I picked up a small carton of Buttermilk and soaked the chops in Buttermilk for 2 days. I do this with my fried chicken too and I highly recommend it.
From there, I got to work on my seasonings. Salt, pepper, granulated garlic and oregano mixed together for a simple but flavorful mix.
Mix seasoning in a separate bowl. Once the pan is hot, add chops and season first side. I like to use Cast Iron for a good sear, plus it can just go straight into the oven when it's done.
If you're cooking without cast iron, either ensure you have an oven-safe pan or move the chops and carrots with sauce to a glass pan capable of handling heat.
Cook for about 8 minutes until first side is browned. Flip and cook for about 6 minutes until the second side is browned while adding the additional seasonings. Add the mustard and beef broth to the pan, a touch of salt to the sauce. Using a wooden spoon, begin to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom. This step adds so much flavor so don't forget to do this!
Add the uncooked carrots to the pan. If you can't find the petite carrots (I got mine at Trader Joe's), use baby carrots or halved carrots with the ends trimmed. Place the pan into a preheated oven at 400°. Cook for about 35 minutes.
Once the chops and carrots are finished in the oven, until at least the pork registers 145°, remove the meat and carrots. Add the goat cheese and place on the stove top at low. Cook until the goat cheese starts to melt and mix with the sauce.
Plate the chops and carrots. Ensure that the pork rests for a few minutes before digging in.
Sauce both the chops and carrots with the goat cheese sauce. Enjoy!!!
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