Stuffed Pork Chops with Cranberry Glaze

Stuffed Pork Chops with Cranberry Glaze
These delicious pork chops are filled with a chestnut and mushroom filling, grilled, and topped with a sweetly tart cranberry glaze. A comfort meal fit for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 6 pork rib chops, about 1-1 1/4 " thick
- 12-18 toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- for stuffing:
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice
- 1- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (check rice package for liquid measurements)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small shallot,finely chopped
- 4-5 cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 5 chest nuts finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- for sauce:
- 1 cup cranberry sauce or preserves
- zest and juice of 1 large orange
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan and cook shallots for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Add chopped mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add rice, broth, seasonings for stuffing and chopped chestnuts. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Place sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on high heat for 1 minute, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and let sauce simmer for 3-4 more minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm. Reserve 1/3 of sauce for serving. If it gets too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water and reheat on stove stop before using.
- Preheat grill for medium high heat.
- Cut a 2- 2 1/2 inch wide by 2 1/2 inch deep pocket into the meat portion of each pork chop. Fill the pockets with stuffing and secure with toothpicks; 2-3 per chop.
- Place chops on the grill and cook for 8 minutes, turn, baste with glaze, and cook for another 8 minutes. Repeat process until the internal temperature of the pork chops reach 165 degrees F. It is important to cook these well done since there is stuffing involved. If any flare-ups occur, move chops to a cooler part of the grill and finish cooking over indirect heat.
- Once cooked through, remove chops from grill and place onto a clean cutting board. Let meat stand for 3-4 minutes or until the toothpicks have cooled off enough to handle. Carefully remove toothpicks and serve with warmed reserved glaze on top.
- *Don't want to use rice? Try quinoa, barley, or couscous instead.
Notes
Photo by: Sabrina Baksh
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!