Is it possible to buy pork chops with the outer fat layer still attached to the chop? Is this more common in the UK it seems?

It is hard to find, since the fat layer is removed at the abattoir, even most of the loins going to Whole Foods. It is a profit loss to have to remove that fat at the store level, since most customers have a phobia about fat. Depending on where you live, try looking for chops off the collar, they will have more fat and much more flavour than the loin chops. I have said it before and I will say it again, I still feel the loin has the least flavour of any cut of the pig and is only good for bacon.

You could buy an entire boneless pork loin. They usually have a good deal of fat left on. It's more economical that way too. You can catch them on sale for $1.99 a pound. They are about 8 pounds and will make about 32 chops or so.

I agree, pierino. But if you look in the yellow pages, JD, under Butchers, you might be surprised. The last survivors of the Costco-ization of our meat tend to be the real deal - guys (and they're all guys where I live) who really know their stuff and are happy to find someone who wants something other than supermarket meat.

But real butchers can be hard to find, most supermarkets just have guys who can run a primal cut through a band saw and not much else. But you could also buy a whole rib roast with a nice fat cap outside, and with a sharp chef's knife do it yourself. Thank God it's no longer the "other white meat". I want that fat too.

I am so with you. A good organic product should have more of a fat layer than you'll commonly find here. And I agree with WFMC that any butcher worth his or her salt should be able (and probably glad) to accommodate you.

It's definitely possible, you'll just have to find a place that has butchers on site. I'm totally biased, as I work for Whole Foods Market, but we do have real butchers in each location. A special request will be necessary, but it should be doable.