Marinate the pork – In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, paprika, brown sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the pork chops and toss to coat evenly. Cover and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature (or up to 24 hours in the fridge).

Dust the pork – Just before cooking, lightly coat each pork chop in flour, shaking off any excess. This helps form a light crust and thickens the pan juices slightly.

Cook the pork – Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the pork in batches for 2–3 minutes per side or until golden. Set aside on a plate – the pork will continue to cook later in the gravy.

Make the gravy – Reduce the heat to medium–low. In the same pan, melt the butter, scraping up any golden bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until foamy and lightly golden.

Add the liquids – Gradually whisk in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and dark soy sauce until smooth. Stir in the thyme leaves, if using, bring to a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes to thicken.

Return pork to the pan – Return the pork and any juices that have pooled on the plate into the pan, spoon some gravy over the top, cover and cook for 4–5 minutes. Shuffle the pork occasionally to stop it sticking to the base of the pan.

Season and serve – Taste and season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste (it may not need any salt). Serve with mashed potatoes, steamed greens and extra thyme or pepper, if using.