Nothing fancy. Just damn good.

I’m slowly – ever so slowly – working my way through my copious fresh pork bounty (this reminds me I need to render some lard this weekend as I’m running low and promised a fresh batch to someone next week.) In any event, the other night I defrosted some pork chops and despite the heat was determined to get them on the grill.

Now, these pork chops were from our first very fatty pig. But that’s a good thing. I like how our butcher left about a half-inch layer of fat on the chops. When you cook them up, whether on the grill or in a pan, it’s like quick-rendering lard on the spot. The fat just melts and the meat cooks in it and you end up with the most flavorful pork chops ever.

Like these.

Now, the plating doesn’t look pretty. I didn’t fuss. I was too crazy ready to dive into them. I basically followed this recipe from The Garden of Eating, as I had some lovely early peaches from the farmstand nearest my house to use up. My balsamic glaze got a little over-thick in the pan, but once I threw the peaches on the grill it melted into sweet yummy goodness. The fat from the chops was throwing up flames like crazy, so I had the most delicious char on the chops and the peaches.

It was INSANELY GOOD.

I stuck with a simple bitter-greens salad from my garden on the side, as I have an overabundance of frisee and green radicchio at the moment. But it was a nice tart and crisp balance to the pork.

I want a plate of these again. Like now.