Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Spinach and Fontina Stuffing
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour brining
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
To Brine
4 bone-in pork rib chops (12 to 14 ounces each), 1 ½ inches thick (see illustrations below)¾ cup packed light brown sugar Table saltStuffing
1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters¼ cup pine nuts, toasted1 tablespoon olive oil 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)6 ounce fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (about 12 cups)2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)¼ cup ricotta cheese 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)1 medium lemon, cut into 4 wedges¼ teaspoon table salt Pinch fresh ground nutmeg Ground black pepperFor Chops
Ground black pepper 2 teaspoons vegetable oilBefore You Begin
Prepare the stuffing while the chops brine. (The stuffing can also be made a day in advance, but it must be microwaved just to room temperature before being packed into the chops.) One stuffed chop makes for a very generous serving. If desired, remove the meat from the bone and cut it into 1/2-inch slices to serve 6.
Instructions
- Using sharp paring knife, cut 1-inch opening into side of each chop, then cut pocket for stuffing (see illustrations below). Dissolve sugar and 1/4 cup salt in 6 cups water in large bowl or container; submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- In food processor, pulse bread and pine nuts until evenly ground, about ten 1-second pulses.
- Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach; using tongs, turn spinach to coat with oil. Cook, stirring with tongs, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to colander in sink and gently squeeze to release excess moisture; cool spinach until just warm.
- Mix together fontina, ricotta, and Parmesan in bowl. Add spinach and bread crumb mixture; using spatula, mix well to break up clumps. Squeeze juice from lemon wedges into small bowl; reserve juiced wedges for sealing stuffing pockets in chops. Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste into stuffing.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chops from brine and rinse under cool running water; pat dry with paper towels. Place one-quarter of stuffing in pocket of each chop. Trim reserved lemon wedges from stuffing recipe to 2-inch lengths; insert one lemon wedge into each pocket to contain stuffing. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Arrange chops in skillet and cook without moving chops until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chops and cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Using tongs, transfer chops to preheated pan in oven; cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of stuffing registers 135 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chops halfway through cooking time. Transfer chops to platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 10 minutes (internal temperature will climb to 145 degrees). Serve immediately.
to brine the chops
to make the stuffing
to stuff and cook the chops
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour briningYield
Serves 4Ingredients
To Brine
4 bone-in pork rib chops (12 to 14 ounces each), 1 ½ inches thick (see illustrations below)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
Table salt
Stuffing
1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
6 ounce fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (about 12 cups)
2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)
1 medium lemon, cut into 4 wedges
¼ teaspoon table salt
Pinch fresh ground nutmeg
Ground black pepper
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
To Brine
4 bone-in pork rib chops (12 to 14 ounces each), 1 ½ inches thick (see illustrations below)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
Table salt
Stuffing
1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
6 ounce fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (about 12 cups)
2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)
1 medium lemon, cut into 4 wedges
¼ teaspoon table salt
Pinch fresh ground nutmeg
Ground black pepper
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
To Brine
4 bone-in pork rib chops (12 to 14 ounces each), 1 ½ inches thick (see illustrations below)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
Table salt
Stuffing
1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
6 ounce fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (about 12 cups)
2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
¼ cup ricotta cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)
1 medium lemon, cut into 4 wedges
¼ teaspoon table salt
Pinch fresh ground nutmeg
Ground black pepper
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Before we could build the best stuffed pork chop recipe, we had to find the right chop. The perfect choice turned out to be the rib chop, which has an unbroken eye of meat into which a wide pocket can be cut with a sharp paring knife. We then developed stuffing mixtures for our stuffed pork chop recipe that incorporated enough moisture, fat, and assertive flavors to enhance the lean, mild pork. The best cooking results came from searing the brined, stuffed chops in a hot skillet and transferring them to a preheated baking sheet to finish cooking in the oven.
Before You Begin
Prepare the stuffing while the chops brine. (The stuffing can also be made a day in advance, but it must be microwaved just to room temperature before being packed into the chops.) One stuffed chop makes for a very generous serving. If desired, remove the meat from the bone and cut it into 1/2-inch slices to serve 6.
Instructions
- Using sharp paring knife, cut 1-inch opening into side of each chop, then cut pocket for stuffing (see illustrations below). Dissolve sugar and 1/4 cup salt in 6 cups water in large bowl or container; submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- In food processor, pulse bread and pine nuts until evenly ground, about ten 1-second pulses.
- Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach; using tongs, turn spinach to coat with oil. Cook, stirring with tongs, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to colander in sink and gently squeeze to release excess moisture; cool spinach until just warm.
- Mix together fontina, ricotta, and Parmesan in bowl. Add spinach and bread crumb mixture; using spatula, mix well to break up clumps. Squeeze juice from lemon wedges into small bowl; reserve juiced wedges for sealing stuffing pockets in chops. Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste into stuffing.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chops from brine and rinse under cool running water; pat dry with paper towels. Place one-quarter of stuffing in pocket of each chop. Trim reserved lemon wedges from stuffing recipe to 2-inch lengths; insert one lemon wedge into each pocket to contain stuffing. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Arrange chops in skillet and cook without moving chops until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chops and cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Using tongs, transfer chops to preheated pan in oven; cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of stuffing registers 135 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chops halfway through cooking time. Transfer chops to platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 10 minutes (internal temperature will climb to 145 degrees). Serve immediately.
to brine the chops
to make the stuffing
to stuff and cook the chops
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