Apple Spiced Stuffed Pork Chop

Dress up traditional pork chops with the fresh flavors of apples and sage. Using our Herbie's savory stuffing spices transforms pork chops into a delicious dish.

Ingredients

• Boneless Pork Loin Chops  ·  4 
• Bacon, small diced  ·  1 pound 
• Granny Smith Apples, small diced  ·  2 
• Shallots, minced  ·  2 
• Garlic, minced  ·  5 cloves 
• Tomatoes, small diced  ·  3 
• White Wine  ·  1/4 cup 
• Brown Sugar  ·  1/4 cup 
• Worcestershire Sauce  ·  2 teaspoons 
• Red Wine Vinegar  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Balsamic Vinegar  ·  1/2 cup 
• Red Wine  ·  1 cup 
• Olive Oil  ·  3 tablespoons 
• Salt & Pepper  ·   
• Herbie's Turkey Stuffing Herb Blend  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Herbie's Apple Pie Spice  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Herbie's Pork Spice Mix  ·  4 tablespoons 

Instructions

Pre heat your oven to 375 degrees

Prepare the apple stuffing by heating a medium saute pan over med high heat with no oil in the pan. Add the chopped bacon, cook for at least 5 min. until the bacon is browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the bottom of the saute pan and put back on the burner over med high heat. Then add 3 cloves of garlic minced, 1 of the shallots minced and cook for about 1 minute. Then add the apples, turkey stuffing herb blend, apple pie spice, 1/2 of the crispy bacon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Remove from the heat, season with salt and reserve.

Lay all 4 of the pork chops on a clean cutting board. Pat them dry with paper towels so they do not slip around. Season the outside of the pork chops with Herbie's Pork Spice Mix and salt. Then take one pork chop at a time and with a small knife very carefully slice horizontally down only one side of the pork chop forming a pocket just big enough to fit the stuffing in, but not so big that it will fall out. Evenly distribute the apple stuffing amongst the 4 pork chops. Do not over stuff them if there is any left over you can use it as a topping when you go to serve them.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, when the oil begins to shimmer add the four stuffed pork chops carefully to the pan and sear for about 2 min on each side. Once the pork is golden brown on both sides, remove them from the pan and place them on a cookie sheet reserving the saute pan for the sauce. Finish cooking them in the oven at 375 degrees for at least 8 min. or until they reach an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

While the pork is cooking in the oven, heat the saute pan that you used to sear the pork, over med high heat. Add the other minced shallot, 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the 1/4 cup of white wine. Let it reduce until it almost all evaporates then add the tomatoes. Cook for about 5 more minutes then stir in the red wine vinegar and the other half of the crispy bacon. Season with Salt and pepper and reserve.

Pull the pork chops out of the oven once they are done. Let them rest for at least 5 min.

In a small saute pan heat the shallots, red wine and balsamic vinegar on high heat until it reduces down to the consistency of a syrup.

To serve: Add the balsamic red wine glaze to the bottom of the plate, then the stuffed pork chop, and finish with the tomato sauce on top and enjoy with a glass of Williamson Wines Elate Grange Cuvee.

Chef's Tips

• Serving stuffed pork chops at a party? The apple stuffing, balsamic red wine reduction and tomato sauce can be prepared the day before. Just make sure to re heat the tomato sauce and allow the balsamic re wine reduction to come back to room temperature before serving.
• Try to get extra-thick loin chops, which are cut from the rib end of the loin and are exceptionally succulent and flavorful.