Hot pan drippings and melted butter tease the essential oils out of rosemary, thyme, and sage, creating rich juices for basting pork chops during the final minutes of cooking. Thai chiles add heat to the dish; to dial back the spiciness, cut a slit in the chiles instead of halving them. Serve over mashed or roasted potatoes to help sop up the flavorful juices.

Direction

1. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add pork chops; cook, flipping occasionally, until well browned and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of meat near the bone registers 120°F, 10 to 14 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and push pork chops to one side of skillet. Add butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, Thai chiles, and garlic to other side of skillet; cook, basting pork with butter and drippings, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat near the bone registers 130°F, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer pork chops to a carving board, and spoon butter-herb mixture over top. Let rest 5 minutes. Carve meat off the bone; slice against the grain. Serve with board juices.