Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

Pork chops filled with apple, onion, orange, sage, pepper, and breadcrumb mixture. Pork chops are then baked and covered with a cinnamon, apple, orange zest, and raisin sauce.

Ingredients -

2 Pork Loin Rib Chops, cut 1- 1/4 inches thick
1 Orange
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped Onion
1/2 cup soft Breadcrumbs
1/3 cup coarsely chopped Apple
dash Pepper
1/8 teaspoon rubbed Sage
1 tablespoon Butter or margarine
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2/3 cup Apple Juice or Cider
2 tablespoons Raisins

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Cut a pocket in each pork chop.

3. Zest 1 teaspoon of orange peel.

4. Squeeze orange, save juice.

5. Melt butter in a medium saucepan.

6. Add onion, saute till soft.

7. Remove onion from heat. Add breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon orange juice, apple, pepper, and sage.

8. Fill pocket in pork chop with stuffing mix.

9. Place chops in baking dish.

10. Bake 30 minutes, occasionally basting with remaining orange juice.

11. In a small saucepan melt 1-tablespoon butter. Add cornstarch, mix well. Add cinnamon.

12. Slowly stir in apple juice. Add orange zest and raisins.

13. Stir constantly until sauce thickens. Pour over pork chops.

Variations and Recipe Ideas:

Pork Chop Tips -

Rubbed Sage

Rubbed sage is crumbled dried sage. Finely chopped fresh sage, dried whole or ground sage will substitute nicely. You could also omit it from the recipe.

Pork Chop Tips -

Stuffing Pork Chops

Choose pork chops between 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Buy leaner pork chops with nice sections of meat coming off the bone. The seasoning and stuffing will flavor the pork chop and the stuffing will help to keep the pork chop moist during cooking.