With a sharp paring knife, slice 3-4 slits into the band of fat on the outer side of the pork chop about an inch apart, being careful not to slice into the meat. This will prevent the pork chops from curling when they are seared, allowing the meat to cook evenly (The fat contracts more quickly than the meat when the pork chop is exposed to high heat, often causing curling) . Pat the pork chops dry all over, and season each chop with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp baking soda per side. Arrange the pork chops on a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered for at least 5 hours or up to over night. Salting ahead of time seasons the meat throughout, and helps keep the surface of the meat from sweating while it cooks, giving it a better shot at browning up nicely. If you don’t have time to do this, don’t worry! Just pat the chops dry as well as you can, and don’t add the salt and baking powder until just before searing to cut down on the possibility of sweating.