How to Cook Stuffed Pork Chops

Cut the slit into the fatty side of the chop.

Ginger-marinated, rye and cornbread-stuffed pork chops will stay tender and juicy when baked. Because you toast the rye and cornbread cubes before making the stuffing, they stay firm with a slight crunch. Top these succulent chops with stir-fried gingered onions, sweet red pepper strips, baby corn and shiitake mushrooms on a bed of mixed salad greens for an Asian-inspired treat. Marinate the chops the night before you wish to serve them.

Things You'll Need

• 4 to 6 center-cut pork chops, untrimmed
• Filleting knife
• 1-oz chunk fresh, sherry-marinated ginger
• Nutmeg grater
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 cup sherry or dark rum
• 1-gallon plastic zipper bag
• 4 to 6 cornbread muffins, cubed
• 4 slices rye bread, cubed
• 1 Tbsp. real butter, melted
• Cookie sheet
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 ribs celery
• 1 cored apple
• 9-by-12 baking dish
• Meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Cut a slit through the fatty side of each pork chop to within an inch of the bony side. If you have a 1-inch thick chop, the slit should be at the 1/2-inch point.

2. Grate the marinated ginger with a nutmeg grater. Add the minced garlic cloves and mix well. Divide the mixture equally between each pork chop, stuffed in the slits. Mix 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp. paprika together and sprinkle it over all the chops.

3. Place all the chops in a 1-gallon plastic zipper bag. Add 1 cup sherry or dark rum and turn the chops until they are well coated. Marinate overnight.

4. While the chops are marinating, toss the rye and cornbread cubes with melted butter and spread them on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and place the cookie sheet inside. Allow the bread cubes to sit in the oven overnight with the heat off.

5. Dice 2 ribs celery, 1 small yellow onion and 1 cored apple.

6. Remove your pork chops from the bag and pour all liquids into a 4-qt saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a full boil for five minutes. Add 1/4 cup apple or orange juice and the diced vegetables. Bring to a full, rolling boil a second time.

7. Slowly stir the bread cubes into the saucepan until all the liquid is absorbed. Place the pork chops in the 9-by-12 baking dish so they are not touching. Fill the slit in each chop with stuffing.

8. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the chops at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the chops and stuffing are golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to verify that the internal temperature of each chop is 160 degrees F before serving. Return the dish to the oven if the meat has not reached the correct temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• The USDA says, "For safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground pork patties and ground pork mixtures such as meat loaf to 160 °F. Whole muscle meats such as chops and roasts should be cooked to 160 °F."

• Verify the temperature with a meat thermometer to help prevent illness.

• Never use marinade from pork without boiling it.

References

• USDA Food Inspection and Safety Service: Safety of Fresh Pork from Farm to Table