Apple Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops – It’s Time for Fall

This apple pecan stuffed pork chops recipe is homey comfort food at its best!  The recipe is one of my 30 minute meals (actually 5 minutes over but those 5 minutes are worth it!)

If you have been reading my blog for long, you will know how much I love this time of the year.

I love everything about fall – the cooler temperatures, the festive holidays and the wonderful tastes that seem to appear on my menus in autumn.

Apples and pecans are two of my favorite tastes for recipes in autumn.  I know how well these natural flavors will compliment boneless pork chops that are waiting for our dinner tonight.

Apple Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops bring the flavors of fall to your table.

Boneless pork chops are naturally tender and juicy.  I love to cook with them, because they are full of flavor and go so well with lots of other foods.  This recipe is versatile enough for easy weeknight cooking and also perfect for special occasions.

Since my husband particularly loves pork, it’s often on the menu here at home.  Richard is such a good friend to me, and helps me in more ways than I can count on an everyday basis.

He may not be a hero in the normal meaning of the word, but he is a big hero to me so I love to prepare his favorite foods.

Right now, my hero is putting together a small movable island for my kitchen so that I have more room to work when I am cooking my blog recipes.

I have a tiny kitchen, and this is going to be such a help in my life.  I can’t wait to start using it!

This apple pecan stuffed pork chops recipe is so unbelievably flavorful. I love to serve it with some baked cinnamon seasoned apple slices  to really pull the meal together in a comfort foodie fall way.

Fall is a busy time of the year for me. There seems to be so much going on during the week.  Having a meal like this that comes together in 30 minutes means that I can enjoy the fun things going on instead of spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

But don’t let the ease of making this dish fool you.  It is also perfect for a weekend meal when you have friends over the the evening!

Look at all those luscious fall ingredients!  I can’t wait to combine them all and sample the dish. I just know my hero is going to love it!

Let’s make the stuffing

The stuffing is a cinch to make.  I used a packaged cornbread stuffing mix and just added some butter and vegetable broth.  It doesn’t even need cooking.  Just boil the water and butter and add the stuffing mix!

While the water boiled, I chopped my apples and celery.

Once the stuffing is ready to mix up, it was just a matter of adding the herbs, nuts and chopped pecans and apples.

I also pounded my pork chops to about 1/2″ thick and then folded them over and added the stuffing mix.  Then into the oven they went for about 25 minutes.  (A meat thermometer tells me when the temperature is just right.

NOTE: If you love your pork medium rare, you should cook it until an oven thermometer shows an internal temperature of 145 degrees (followed by a three-minute rest). If you like your pork a little more done, you can cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.)

And the flavor of these Apple Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops?  TO DIE FOR!!

The stuffing is crunchy from the celery and pecans and has the sweetness from the apples. The flavors compliment the pork chops beautifully.

I even had time to do some seasoned baked apple slices to go along with the meal. I just put my pork in for 10 minutes and added the apples for the last 15 minutes. PERFECTO!

One bite of these apple pecan stuffed pork chops and you will know that your hero is going to be pleased as punch. I guarantee you that he will be asking you to make it again soon.

 

My recipe made more stuffing than I needed for my pork, but never fear…It also makes a great side dish for another meal.  After all…it’s fall and stuffing is always on the menu!

 

By the way, here is the finished kitchen island that my hero husband put together for me today. I can’t wait to put it to use!

Yield: 4

FApple Pecan Stuffed Pork - It's Time for Fall

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Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package of Smithfield All Natural Boneless Pork Chops
• 2 cups of cornbread stuffing
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 3/4 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

For the Seasoned Baked apple slices

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup of water mixed with 1 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• A dash of cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

Boil the water and butter and then add the cornbread stuffing.

While the water is boiling, dice the apples, pecans and celery. Place the cornbread stuffing mix in a bowl and add the minced fresh herbs and chopped apples, pecans and celery. Stir in the mixture and combine well.

Place the Smithfield All Natural Boneless Pork Chops under a baggie and use a meat tenderizer to pound to 1/2" thick. Add some of the cornbread stuffing mix to one half, fold over and secure with a toothpick.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and season the outside of the pork with sea salt and cracked black pepper and place in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Let the meat rest for about 3 minutes.

NOTE: If you love your pork medium rare, you should cook it to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (followed by a three-minute rest). If you like your pork a little more done, you can cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

To make the apples, place them in a baking dish, and add the water and cornstarch mixture. Stir in the brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook during the last 14 minutes in the oven with the stuffed pork chops.

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