Spiced Rubbed Pork Chops

Is there any ingredient in your kitchen that you probably have too much of? In my kitchen it's spices. I have way too much. In fact, my spice collection has taken up one of the largest drawers I have in the kitchen and another small basket in a cabinet. Thankfully I don't have large quantities of any one kind of spice or spice blend. Instead, I tend to have small amounts of several {too many?}spices. So when I'm faced with what to make with any given protein {beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or even vegetable}, I try to use the spices I have  for flavor. The other night I had a couple pork chops to work with and I came across this recipe for Spiced Rubbed Pork Chops. Coriander, cumin and brown sugar blend together to create a slight glaze that's flavorful and compliments the pork. It was quick and easy, making it a great choice for a no-fuss weeknight dinner. I served it with a Golden Nutty Rice Pilaf which paired perfectly...


Coriander is one of those spices I purchased because I needed a small amount for another recipe. It's a spice I don't use very often but when I came across this recipe, I was happy to find another application for it. Together with cumin, it reminded me of the Mediterranean flavors with a slight sweetness. You could even spice your pork beforehand rather than just before cooking to allow the pork to absorb the flavor longer.

Spiced Rubbed Pork Chops
recipe from Cooking Light

2 (4-ounce) boneless pork loin chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt. Combine coriander, cumin, and sugar in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over 1 side of pork. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan, spice side down. Cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn pork over, and cook 4 minutes or until done.