Smokin News Recipes

Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

Description:
Most of the cook time is hands free oven baking, so its a good pop it in and enjoy some family time dinner entree.


Date Added:	October 21, 2009	Season:
Category:	Pork	Prep. Method:	Bake
Calories:		Dish Type:
Serves:	4	Cuisine:
Prep. Time:	2+ hrs

Ingredients:

4 thick cut boneless porkchops (butterflied for stuffing)
2 granny smith apples (washed, cored,  and cut into wedges
about 1/8 inch thick, you may not need 2 full apples for
this recipe, you can cube 1/2 of one them to put on top of
porkchops during baking if you like.)
3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped divided in half
1/3 cup dried cranberries (cut in pieces)
2 tbsp fresh garlic (minced)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
small vidalia or yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp fresh rosemary *optional
nutmeg *optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Place porkchops in large glass baking dish (I use a 9x13 glass baking dish, a metal pan will work but glass provides more even cooking).
In a bowl mix chopped spinach, 1 1/2 tbsp sage leaves, onion, garlic, dried cranberries, black pepper, sea salt, and rosemary *optional.
In each pork chop place a single layer of apple wedges (you may sprinkle them with nutmeg if you like -- optional).
Top the layer of apple wedges with a heaping spoonful of the spinach mixture and spread it to cover the entire layer of apple wedges evenly.
Add another layer of apple wedges (nutmeg optional).
Fold the top of the porkchops over to close in the stuffing.
Drizzle with orange juice.
Crack some black pepper and sea salt over top of porkchops and sprinkle with remaining sage leaves.
Keep the remaining spinach mixture (I usually saute it in a pan to place as a bed under porkchops when served).
Cover and bake for 30 minutes per pound of meat.
Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes (releases juices).

Rating: (1)

Added On: October 21, 2009