Herb-Crusted Pork Chops with Roasted Root Vegetables

This weekend main pairs herb-crusted pork chops with a single-pan roast of carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes. The crust browns while the vegetables soften and caramelize around the pork, and the chops are rested briefly before serving for juicier slices.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 340 g carrots peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
• 280 g parsnips peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
• 340 g sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 3 g kosher salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 1 g garlic powder divided
• 1 g dried thyme divided
• 1 g dried rosemary divided and finely crushed
• 40 g panko breadcrumbs plain
• 8 g flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• 15 g unsalted butter melted
• 1 g dried thyme divided
• 1 g dried rosemary divided and finely crushed
• 5 g kosher salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 2 g garlic powder divided
• 2 g lemon zest finely grated
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 4 pieces bone-in pork chops, about 2.5 cm thick patted dry
• 30 g Dijon mustard divided
• 15 ml olive oil divided

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Oven is fully preheated and the pan is lined.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes with 20 ml olive oil, 3 g kosher salt, 1 g black pepper, 1 g garlic powder, 1 g thyme, and 1 g rosemary. Spread them on the sheet pan in a single layer, leaving room for the pork. Vegetables are evenly coated and arranged in one layer.
3. Mix the panko, parsley, melted butter, remaining 1 g thyme, remaining 1 g rosemary, remaining 5 g kosher salt, remaining 1 g black pepper, remaining 2 g garlic powder, and lemon zest if using. Stir in 10 ml olive oil to help the crumb brown. The mixture should look evenly moistened but still loose. Breadcrumb mixture is uniformly seasoned and lightly damp.
4. Brush each pork chop with the Dijon mustard, using 30 g total. Press the breadcrumb mixture onto the top side of each chop so it adheres in a thick layer. Each chop is coated on top with a visible herb crumb crust.
5. Nestle the pork chops on the pan beside the vegetables and drizzle the chops and vegetables with the remaining 15 ml olive oil. Roast for 18 minutes. Vegetables are beginning to caramelize and the crust is turning golden.
6. Stir the vegetables to promote even browning, keeping the pork chops in place. Continue roasting for 8 to 12 minutes, until the pork reaches 63°C in the center and the crumb crust is deep golden brown. The vegetables should be tender and browned at the edges; the pork may rest to 65°C. Pork registers 63°C and the vegetables are tender with browned edges.
7. Rest the pork chops for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the roasted vegetables around the chops and serve immediately. Pork juices settle and the chops slice cleanly.