Stuffed Pork Chops

I can’t say that pork chops are an item that are served all that often in my house. I have nothing against pork chops. In fact, there are even a few pork chop recipes that could be found on this site from way back in my early days of blogging. I just don’t tend to gravitate towards the pork chop section of the super market. However, a recent sale on thick cut pork chops gave me the urge to experiment once again with ‘the other white meat.’

I actually had a stuffed pork chop recipe bookmarked from a while back that I found to be inspirational, yet never got around to working my own magic with it. A recent rare Saturday night with both kids out at birthday parties made for the perfect dinner date opportunity for my wife and I. Instead of using the recipe’s recommended spinach, diced capicola and provolone stuffing with bone-in chops, I decided to go with a stuffing made of cherry tomatoes, kale and feta cheese in the boneless chops (not that the original recipe sounded any less appealing…sometimes you just have to use whatever ingredients you have on hand). The stuffing ingredients proved to be a great choice. Nice flavor, not too overpowering, and a great complement to the chops.

If you would like to give this recipe a try, I would highly suggest that you soak the chops in a brine prior to stuffing them, even if just for one hour. Pork chops, especially thick cut, can tend to be a little tough and dry, regardless of how they are cooked. One hour in a simple brine will help make your pork chops all the tastier! My brine of choice could be found at the end of this post.

Stuffed Pork Chops

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces (3 handfuls) chopped kale or spinach
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 thick cut pork chops (could use boneless or bone-in), soaked in brine*

Preheat oven to 375˚.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add kale, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and the Italian seasoning; cook, stirring, just until kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the kale mixture to a medium-size bowl; let cool completely. When cool, add the chopped tomatoes, feta and egg; gently stir to combine completely.

Place the pork chops on a flat work surface; cut a slit horizontally to form a deep pocket. Stuff each chop with 1/4 of the stuffing. Secure chops with toothpicks.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet. Add chops; cook 2 minutes per side or until browned. Place chops in single layer in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake the chops in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer when inserted in the pork. Timing may vary depending on your oven, so be sure to follow the suggested temperature reading if possible. Remove chops to a platter; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

*Brine Recipe

4 cups water
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1.5 tablespoon sugar

Pour the water, salt and sugar into a small pot and heat over high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar completely dissolve and the water starts to bubble. Do not bring to a full boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place the pork chops into a bowl, then pour the cooled brine over the chops. Cover and place in the refrigerator for one to one and a half hours.

Remove chops from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Discard the brine mixture.