Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Red Onion Jam Stuffing with Port, Pecans, and Dried Fruit
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
2 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 tablespoon olive oil 1 large red onion, halved and sliced ⅛ inch thick (about 4 cups)1 tablespoon sugar ⅓ cups chopped dates (pitted)⅓ cup dried tart cherries ¾ cup ruby port 1 medium orange, cut into 4 wedges2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon table salt Ground black pepper ⅓ cup toasted pecansFor Chops
Ground black pepper 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)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.
- Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to color, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine dates, cherries, and port in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic and microwave on high until simmering, about 1 minute. Set aside until needed. Squeeze juice from orange wedges into small bowl; reserve juiced wedges for sealing stuffing pockets in chops.
- When onions are soft, add dried fruit/port mixture, 1/4 cup orange juice, thyme, 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is jamlike, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and pecans; transfer to bowl and cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.
- 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 orange wedges from stuffing recipe to 2-inch lengths; insert one orange 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); sprinkle chops with blue cheese. Serve immediately.
to brine the chops
to make the stuffing
to stuff and cook the chops
Time
2 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 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, halved and sliced ⅛ inch thick (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cups chopped dates (pitted)
⅓ cup dried tart cherries
¾ cup ruby port
1 medium orange, cut into 4 wedges
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
⅓ cup toasted pecans
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
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 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, halved and sliced ⅛ inch thick (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cups chopped dates (pitted)
⅓ cup dried tart cherries
¾ cup ruby port
1 medium orange, cut into 4 wedges
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
⅓ cup toasted pecans
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
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 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, halved and sliced ⅛ inch thick (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cups chopped dates (pitted)
⅓ cup dried tart cherries
¾ cup ruby port
1 medium orange, cut into 4 wedges
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
⅓ cup toasted pecans
For Chops
Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
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.
- Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to color, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine dates, cherries, and port in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic and microwave on high until simmering, about 1 minute. Set aside until needed. Squeeze juice from orange wedges into small bowl; reserve juiced wedges for sealing stuffing pockets in chops.
- When onions are soft, add dried fruit/port mixture, 1/4 cup orange juice, thyme, 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is jamlike, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and pecans; transfer to bowl and cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.
- 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 orange wedges from stuffing recipe to 2-inch lengths; insert one orange 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); sprinkle chops with blue cheese. Serve immediately.
to brine the chops
to make the stuffing
to stuff and cook the chops
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
More Like This
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments