RYE STUFFED PORK CHOPS

By Silvermama

This stuffing is a nice side dish to any pork entree. If you prefer thinner cut chops, use butcher's twine to keep the stuffing in place as in this photo.

Ingredients

• Stuffing:
• 2 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 5 oz each)
• Salt/Pepper
• 1 tbs Olive oil
• 1 cup rye bread (about 2 slices)
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced or 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 cup dried apples, diced
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried savory
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• Salt/Pepper
• Sauce:
• 2 tbs shallots, minced
• 1 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 apple cider or juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Optional:
• tsp apple jelly
• fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Toast bread in 1 tsp butter in ovenproof skillet over med-hi heat until crisp; transfer to a bowl. Diced into small cubes. Return pan to burner.
Saute onion, celery, apples in 1 tbs butter over med-hi heat until soft; stir in thyme and savory. Add vegetables to bread cubes; toss w/broth, vinegar and seasonings until liquid is absorbed. Wipe out skillet.
Prepare chop: make a 1 inch wide slit on the side of chops, inset knife blade to other side but not thru other side. Sweep knife back and forth carefully to cut a pocket and opening larger. Fill each chop with 1/3 stuffing.
Saute chops in oil in skillet over med-hi heat until brown on one side, about 3 min. Carefully turn them over. Add any extra stuffing to pan and transfer to oven. Roast 8 min at 400, then remove chops and stuffing from pan; tent w/foil to keep warm.
Saute shallots in 1 tbs butter in same skillet over med-hi. Add flour and cook 1 min. Deglaze w/cider, wine and vinegar; summer until slightly thickened, 2-3 min. Finish sauce w/apple jelly, thyme, salt/pepper if desired.