Bring the pork chops to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking, then pat them completely dry and season generously with salt and coarse black pepper. Keep the fat cap dry so it can turn shatteringly crisp.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. The pan should be hot enough that the pork sizzles immediately.

Place the chops in the pan and sear the fat cap first by holding them vertically for 2 minutes, then lay flat. Look for rapid browning and a deeply golden fat cap.

Sear the first side for 3–4 minutes until browned, then flip and sear the second side for 3–4 minutes. Continue until the seared exterior is dark-golden and crisp at the edges.

Add butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet and tilt the pan to pool the foamy butter around the chops. The butter should foam as the aromatics bloom.

Baste continuously for 2–3 minutes so the herbs infuse the butter and the surface turns glossy and richly browned. Spoon the foaming butter over the chops without burning the garlic.

Transfer the pan to a 400°F oven for 4–5 minutes until the pork reaches 145°F internally. Remove when the center is just cooked and the exterior stays crisp.

Rest the chops for 5 minutes on a wire rack. This keeps the juices from pooling while the crust stays set.

Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the chops right before serving. Serve while the butter-basted exterior is hot and crisp.