Don't let cold weather stop you from making your grill marks in winter

4 Porterhouse pork chops, 3½ to 4 pounds

2 small onions, sliced very thin

2 cloves garlic mashed in 2 teaspoons salt until paste

2 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium broth

1½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon toasted fresh ground pepper

¼ teaspoon chile de arbol or cayenne pepper

1 or 2 blood oranges, sliced thick

Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion, powder, salt and pepper to make rub, then apply evenly on both sides of the chops and season the orange slices.

Heat a cast-iron griddle over two burners on high heat until smoking hot. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cook seasoned pork chops on each side for 2 minutes. To get waffle marks, turn chops 45 degrees after 1 minute.

Use pot holders to move griddle into oven and bake until chops' internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes.

With 10 minutes remaining, add orange slices and flip after 5 minutes.

Remove chops and orange slices from oven; remove to a platter and let rest at least 5 minutes.

Serve chops with spaetzle, rice pilaf or mashed potatoes and warm rolls. If you want gravy, see below.

¼ cup mix of olive oil and bacon drippings

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

While chops are in the oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly to make a roux; heat until roux is the color of caramel, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions and salt and pepper.

Stir until onions are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and chicken broth and increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. If consistency is too thick, add water. Once consistency is correct, reduce heat to medium and stir in thyme. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to low until chops are ready.