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If you are looking for a different way to make pork chops, look no further! Easy too!
Pork Chops Were Never So Good–Or Easy
Tired of the same-old same-old when it comes to making pork chops?
Nothing could be easier than these chops, or delicious. They require very little work on your part but the end result is superb because all the flavors come together to make this dish special.
Crock Pot Too!
You can make them in the crockpot too! Just brown the chops and make up the stuffing as in the main recipe then layer all the ingredients in the crock pot same as the main recipe. Cook on low about 8 hours; high about 4-5, but remember the times are approximate and the stuffing won’t crisp up.
Juicy And Tender
I really love pork chops, especially bone-in rib chops. Boneless center-cut chops are the ones I like the least since they tend to end up dry. But not here!
It was really amazing how tender and juicy these boneless chops turned out.
The recipe requires rather thick chops–about one inch thick. I usually cut my own off of a whole boneless loin. That’s a lot cheaper than buying them pre-cut from the butcher. That’s exactly what I did here. If you can believe it, I ended up with two whole loins because I thought one was–now get this–baby back ribs. I must be losing it! Anyway, there was nothing I could do once I got home so I tossed the extra loin in the freezer.
Yesterday I decided to defrost it and cut it up as I usually do. I do two “roasts” and cut the rest as chops. I cut these babies thick too; about 1 1/4-inch thick.
I’m positive the pork chops remained tender because of how this casserole is assembled.
Apples With Pork? Of Course!
I wasn’t a lover of apples with pork either. That is before I tasted this.
The secret here I believe is the subtle spiciness of the apples.
You need to use apple pie filling flavored with a bit of cinnamon. It’s no problem if your canned filling lacks cinnamon. Taste if to find out. If it doesn’t, add about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to each can.
Stuffing’s On The Outside
That’s right! The stuffing is outside these chops.
It’s the crowning glory to these chops too. The original recipe used (from what I could gather) Stove Top. If you like that, then go right ahead. I find it a bit too “fake” tasting and salty.
What I did here was use the Pepperidge Farm stuff in the blue bag. I always have this on hand because I use it as seasoned bread crumbs. But this variety, unlike the Stove Top types is that I can dress this up as much as I want and control the salt. FYI I used reduced-sodium chicken base in this.
That’s exactly what I did here. I could have eaten the stuffing alone it was so good!
The Recipe
Pork Chops with Apples & Stuffing
Ingredients
- 6 thick 1 - 1 1/2-inch thick boneless center-cut loin pork chops (see NOTES)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cans 21 oz each apple pie filling, preferably with a hint of cinnamon (see NOTES)
STUFFING
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 5 tbsp 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp dehydrated onions -OR- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tsp chicken base i.e. Better Than Bouillon
- 3 - 3 1/2 cups seasoned stuffing mix i.e. Pepperidge Farm in the blue bag
- 1 tbsp parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the oil and pork chops. Brown well on each side.
- To make the stuffing, boil the water and butter in a large saucepan. Mix in the chicken base and the onion; stir well and add the stuffing mix. Start with the lowest amount of dried stuffing; remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. If it seems to wet after it sits for 5 minutes, add additional stuffing mix. The stuffing should be moist but NOT wet.
- Spread pie filling in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place the pork chops on top of the apples.
- Divide the stuffing into 6 equal portions. Place a portion on top of each pork chop, pressing it down to cover the top of the chop.
- Cover pan with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until stuffing is browned and chops reach 160 degrees F internally.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Taste of Home
Phyllis says
This recipe looks delicious, but cooking pork chops that long wouldn’t make them tough? I love pork but seems when I cook them long they do get tough, so just checking before i try this recipe. Thank so much
Judith Hanneman says
That was my problem with boneless center-cut loin too Phyllis, but these stayed remarkably tender and juicy. Just make sure not to overcook them. If you have a meat thermometer, cook to 160F.
Sarah says
I made these last night and it was a delicious meal! The pork was, indeed, extremely juicy and tender when cooked between the apples and the stuffing. I wound up making my own apple pie filling with some sliced apples that I froze last fall. That way I could control the sugar. Another good recipe! Thanks so much!
Judith Hanneman says
So glad you liked this!! I was amazed at how tender the pork stayed and I bet it tasted out-of-this-world with your own apple filling!