About Stuffed Pork Chops
Most pork chops today are very lean. Stuffing pork chops adds moisture and flavor to the meat and makes for a nice dinner presentation. As for what to use for stuffing; the variations are virtually limitless. You can make a simple herb and bread stuffing, or fresh chopped mushrooms, even rice or other grains. Although we always prefer homemade foods, if you are short on time you can even use a pre-made or frozen stuffing product.
The stuffed chop shown is a rib-eye chop which was about 1 to 1/2" thick.
Choosing The Right Pork Chop
The most common pork chops available at the grocery store are shown below.
- Rib-Eye Chop, bone-in, rib chop, thin, about 1/4 " thick. These are not good for stuffing at all. In fact, because they are so thin they tend to dry out by the time they are cooked so they are not the best choice for any purpose.
- Rib-Eye Chop, bone-in, rib chop, thick, about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. This is the perfect chop for stuffing. The bone makes it so the chop takes a little longer to cook but helps to retain moisture in the chop.
- New York pork chop - about 1 to 1 1/2" thick, boneless. You can use these for stuffing but may be pretty dry once cooked.
- Boneless Sirloin Chop - A flavorful chop but not the best choice for stuffing.
The Best Choice
The best choice for stuffing is the rib-eye cut at least 1/2 to 3/4" thick. We have noticed a huge version of this chop in local grocery store, over 3" thick. The store insists its for individual portions but it looks more like a roast than a single serving chop.
boneless sirloin chop
rib-eye pork chop
porterhouse pork chop
new york pork chop
Prepare The Chop
Preparation is easy. Simply rinse the chop and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, slice the chop horizontally all the way to the bone. This will make a pocket for the stuffing.
Using your filling of choice, fill the pocket with stuffing. The pork chop should bulge slightly but don't overfill it otherwise the stuffing will just fall out into the pan.
This image shows 2 pork chops, prepared and stuffed with a bread-herb stuffing.
Cooking A Stuffed Pork Chop
Cooking methods may vary per recipe but a standard preparation is to pan sear the chops in a hot pan with a small amount of olive oil. Once the chops are nicely browned on each side, place the pan in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes to finish. The pork should register 155F using an instant read meat thermometer.
Basic Herbed Bread Stuffing
This is a basic recipe for a bread stuffing with fresh herbs. You can substitute any herbs you have in your garden. This is a variation of a Martha Stewart recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cubed French or Italian bread, crusts removed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, and 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon mixed chopped parsley and thyme
- 1 - 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast bread cubes on a baking sheet about 5-7 minutes until they turn a light golden brown. Combine butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch ovenproof pan and heat until butter melts. Add the onion and cook stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and cook just for another minute. Transfer the onion to a bowl and add the bread and herbs and 3 tablespoons chicken stock. Toss the mixture until combined then season with salt and pepper.