Stuffed Pork Chops
4 boneless pork chops (6 to 8 ounces each), Вѕ to 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon oil or cooking fat of choice, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking chops
ВЅ cup minced onion
1 cup minced fresh button or cremini mushrooms
ВЅ cup diced Granny Smith apple (about ВЅ medium apple)
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon crushed dried sage
ВЅ teaspoon ground rosemary
8 wooden toothpicks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cut a pocket in a pork chop by inserting a knife tip into the side of your chop and, without cutting through to the other side, moving your knife back and forth to within 1⁄2 inch or so of the chop’s edges. You want to keep the knife opening small to help keep the stuffing intact. Repeat for the remaining chops.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large stainless-steel skillet that is already hot. Stir in the onions and sautГ© for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, apples and garlic and sautГ© until softened, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the sage and rosemary and mix well. Remove the stuffing mixture from the skillet to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet clean.
- Stuff the pork chops with the stuffing mixture, and insert toothpicks along the edge to keep the stuffing inside the chops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in the skillet used to make the stuffing. Cook the pork chops for about 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145В°F.
VARIATIONS: If you want to make a quick sauce to serve over the chops, simply deglaze the pan you cooked the chops in by adding ВЅ cup to 1 cup of either chicken stock or apple juice (or cider) and then whisking to break up any of the browned bits in the pan. You can season the sauce with some herbs (like sage or rosemary), or just serve as is.
