Thick boneless pork chops are just asking to be stuffed and baked. I’ve come up with a few recipes that are definite repeats in my household. My Baked Stuffed Pork Chops are brimming with buttery bread cubes, caramelized onion, woody mushrooms, and fresh sage. You could also use chicken breasts for this dish.
When I was growing up, my mom made a lot of stuffed meats for main courses. Apricot-nut-stuffed chicken breasts, slowly-baked beef braciole with ricotta and provolone, meatloaf stuffed with mozzarella and mushrooms smothered in garlicky tomato sauce, and also herby stuffed pork chops. She also made amazing pork chops with a caramely orange sauce that were out-of-this-world. But back to the stuffed theme….
Although this baked stuffed pork chops recipe has a number of steps, it’s fairly simple to make. Slice the pork chops horizontally and season with salt and pepper. Make the stuffing. Stuff, sear, and bake the pork chops. It’s that simple. These pork chops go well with mashed potatoes or a rice medley and a green vegetable or even honey-buttered carrots.
Slice in half for a fabulous presentation.
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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….
Baked Stuffed Pork Chops with Fresh Sage
Ingredients:
4 thick-cut boneless pork chops
3 T butter, divided
1.5 cups day-old white or wheat bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. mushrooms, stemmed, and finely chopped
1 T fresh sage, minced, or 1/2 t dried sage leaves
2 T heavy cream
Salt and Pepper
1/2 c chicken broth/stock
1/2 c dry white wine
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut a slit into each of the pork chops horizontally but not cutting the whole way through so each has a deep pocket for the stuffing with three sides of each pork chop still intact. Set aside.
3. In a saute pan, melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Saute the bread cubes until they are slightly browned and crispy. Remove the bread cubes to a bowl to cool.
4. Using the same saute pan, melt 1T butter over medium heat. Cook the onion for a few minutes until slightly browned.
5. Add the garlic, mushrooms and sage. Saute for 3 minutes.
6. Add the onion/garlic/mushroom/sage mixture to the bread cubes and stir to combine.
7. Cool the bread mixture for about 10 – 15 minutes until completely cool.
8. Add the heavy cream to the bread mixture and stir to combine.
9. Season both sides and inside slits of the pork chops with salt and pepper.
10. Stuff the pork chops with the bread cube mixture. Secure with toothpicks to keep the pork chops closed.
11. In a large oven-proof saute pan or skillet, heat 1 T butter over high heat. Sear the pork chops for 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
12. Add chicken broth/stock and white wine to the pan.
13. Bake pork chops in the pan for 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or until interior of pork chops reaches 170 degrees.
14. Remove pan from oven and divide pork chops among four plates. Remove toothpicks from pork chops prior to serving. Spoon the pan drippings and any “escaped” stuffing onto the pork chops.
Serves 4 as a main course. Serve with my Easy Mashed Potatoes or Chive Mashed Potatoes and green peas.
Variations: Can use olive oil instead of butter. Substitute thyme or rosemary for the sage. Can omit the heavy cream. Substitute thick chicken breasts for the pork chops.
www.afoodloversdelight.com (Copyright Adroit Ideals 2013)
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