Chef Graziella
Arista alla Fiorentina
The roast pork of Florence: bone-in loin studded with rosemary and garlic, nothing more. This is the dish that earned its name from a Byzantine bishop who declared it aristos, the best.
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Costolette di Maiale con Salvia
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A fifteen-minute lesson in restraint: pork chops, butter, sage, and the understanding that what you leave out matters as much as what you put in.
Main Dishes
Italian
Weeknight
Quick Meal
5 min
Active Time
12 min cook•17 min total
Yield4 servings
This is the weeknight cooking of central Italy. No elaborate preparation, no special occasion required. A good pork chop, butter, sage from the garden, and a splash of wine to lift the pan drippings. Dinner in fifteen minutes.
The technique is elemental: hot fat, dry meat, patience to let the crust form, then the perfume of sage crisping in butter. Americans ruin pork chops by cooking them until they are gray and fibrous throughout. Italians understand that pork, like all meat, needs rest and restraint. A blush of pink at the center is not only safe, it is correct.
Sage and pork have been partners in Italian cooking for centuries. The herb's slightly bitter, camphor note cuts through the richness of the meat. But sage is powerful. Twelve leaves are sufficient for four chops. More would overwhelm. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in.
Sage has grown wild in the Mediterranean since antiquity, and its name derives from the Latin salvare, meaning to save or heal. Italian cooks have paired it with pork and butter since at least the Renaissance, when the combination appeared in wealthy Tuscan and Umbrian households. The preparation remains unchanged because it requires no improvement.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
bone-in pork loin chops
Quantity
4 (about 1 inch thick, 8 ounces each)
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
unsalted butter
Quantity
3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
fresh sage leaves
Quantity
12
garlic cloves
Quantity
2
peeled and lightly crushed
dry white wine
Quantity
1/3 cup
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| bone-in pork loin chops | 4 (about 1 inch thick, 8 ounces each) |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| unsalted butter | 3 tablespoons |
| extra virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh sage leaves | 12 |
| garlic clovespeeled and lightly crushed | 2 |
| dry white wine | 1/3 cup |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy 12-inch skillet (cast iron preferred)
- •Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the meat
Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Cold meat does not brown properly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. The salt should be visible on the surface.
- 2
Heat the fats
In a heavy skillet large enough to hold all four chops without crowding, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. The oil prevents the butter from burning. When the butter foam subsides and the fat shimmers, you are ready. If the chops do not fit comfortably, cook them in two batches. Crowding causes steaming, not browning.
A 12-inch cast iron skillet is ideal. The heavy bottom holds heat evenly and creates the best crust. - 3
Sear the chops
Lay the chops in the hot fat. Do not move them. Let them cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. You should hear a steady sizzle, not violent popping or quiet cooking. After 4 minutes, the underside should be deeply golden, almost mahogany at the edges. Turn the chops.
- 4
Add sage and garlic
Scatter the sage leaves and crushed garlic cloves into the pan around the chops. The sage will crisp and perfume the fat within 30 seconds. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the fragrant butter over the tops of the chops repeatedly as they finish cooking, another 3 to 4 minutes for medium (145°F internal temperature). The sage leaves should be brittle and darkened but not black.
- 5
Make the pan sauce
Transfer the chops to a warm plate and scatter the crispy sage over them. Let them rest. Add the wine to the hot pan, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble vigorously for 30 seconds until slightly reduced. Discard the garlic. The sauce should be deeply flavored and just coat a spoon.
The garlic has done its work. It flavored the butter. You do not eat it. Remove it before serving. - 6
Serve immediately
Spoon the pan sauce over the rested chops. The meat should be rosy pink at the center with juices pooling on the plate. Serve at once. This is not a dish that waits.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out heritage breed pork if possible. Berkshire or Duroc have superior fat marbling and flavor. The pale, lean chops from industrial pork will dry out before they brown.
- •The sage must be fresh. Dried sage has an entirely different character, dusty and medicinal. If you cannot find fresh sage, make a different dish.
- •Bone-in chops cook more evenly and stay juicier than boneless. The bone conducts heat gently to the center. Ask your butcher for center-cut loin chops, about one inch thick.
Advance Preparation
- •Pork chops can be seasoned with salt up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated uncovered. The salt draws out moisture, which is then reabsorbed, seasoning the meat throughout.
- •This dish cannot be made ahead. It must be served immediately from pan to plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 180g)
Calories
405 calories
Total Fat
28 g
Saturated Fat
11 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
16 g
Cholesterol
130 mg
Sodium
530 mg
Total Carbohydrates
1 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
35 g
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