By BETH DOOLEY

Minnesota Star-Tribune (TNS)

Rhubarb isn’t just for pie. It also makes a classic fruit and mustard sauce for pork (it works nicely on chicken and lamb, too) that helps keep the meat moist once it’s cooked so it can be prepared ahead and held until folks are ready to eat.

Pork chops are cut out of the same basic part of the pig: the loin, which runs along the pig’s back from shoulder to butt.

Depending on where the chops are cut, they’ll have slightly different cooking qualities. My favorite for pan-roasting is the rib chop, sliced from the blade end. The higher fat content makes these chops flavorful and easy to sear. You want them to be thick — at least 1¼ inch thick, because any thinner and they tend to dry out. It’s always a good idea to salt the meat and let it rest before cooking. Salt draws juices up to the meat’s surface, and it’s then reabsorbed through cooking. This concentrates flavors while retaining moisture, yielding a juicer, tastier chop.

Of course, the best-tasting chops rely on good pork — like the meat of heritage pigs, which are bred for flavor instead of low-fat content. When raised free-range and allowed to move about in the fresh air, the animals’ muscle structures develop naturally.

And because their diet is varied, the meat tastes rich and complex.

The key to pan-roasting chops is to watch the temperature of your skillet. Start high to sear both sides of the chop until they’re dark brown.

Then place the skillet in the oven to finish things off. Pork is done when it reaches 145 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Let the chops rest a few minutes to retain their juices and then serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

Pan-Roasted Pork Chops in Mustardy Rhubarb Sauce Serves 4.

This simple savory rhubarb sauce is equally good on chicken and lamb. Store any extra in a covered container in the refrigerator. Be sure to salt the pork and let it come to room temperature before it hits the pan for tastier, juicier results.

From Beth Dooley.

For the Mustardy Rhubarb Sauce:

■ 1 tbsp. extra-virgin

olive oil

■ 1 large shallot,

chopped

■ ½ lb. rhubarb, fresh or frozen, thawed, and chopped

■ ½ c. orange juice

■ 1 tbsp. honey

■ 1 tbsp. whole grain

mustard

■ 1 tbsp. white wine

vinegar,

■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the pork chops:

■ 4 bone-in rib chops, each 1¼-in. thick and about ¾ lb.

■ Coarse salt

■ Freshly ground black pepper

■ 3 tbsp. olive oil Directions To prepare the sauce: Film a skillet or deep saucepan with the oil and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until it becomes transparent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rhubarb and orange juice and cook until the rhubarb softens and the sauce thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the honey, mustard and vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Set aside.

To prepare the pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously season the pork with the salt and pepper on all sides.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Film a skillet with the oil and set over medium- high heat. When the oil ripples, add the pork and sear until wellbrowned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and cook until the meat registers about 140 degrees on an oven thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pork chops from oven. Add the rhubarb sauce to the pan and thoroughly coat the pork chops. Return to the oven and continue cooking until the meat reaches 145 degrees, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow the pork chops to rest for about 5 minutes before serving with plenty of sauce.