Peach-Stuffed Pork Chops
Description
Chef John's peach-stuffed pork chops are flavored from the inside out with a spicy, smoky, sweet peach filling. It's a great stuffing technique that yields tender results.
Ingredients
•
2 slices bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
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1/2 cup diced onion
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2 tablespoons diced poblano pepper
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1 large yellow peach - peeled, pitted, and diced
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8 saltine crackers, crushed
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2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 pinch cayenne pepper
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2 tablespoons chicken broth, or as needed
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2 double-cut boneless pork chops
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salt to taste
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1/4 cup chicken broth
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2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
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2 tablespoons cold salted butter
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) with oven rack in center position.
2
Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and poblano pepper; cook until onion turns translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add peach; cook until tender and starting to render some juice. Transfer to a bowl.
3
Stir saltines, thyme, black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper into peach mixture; add 2 tablespoons chicken broth to moisten as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4
Lay pork chops flat onto your work surface. Cut a pocket in center of each pork chop, starting with a small incision on fat side of chops, exactly halfway down, using the tip of a knife to cut as close to the edges as possible without poking through. Try to make pocket incisions at least 2 inches wide.
5
Fill pockets with peach stuffing, packing and pressing in firmly; season both sides chops with salt.
6
Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over high heat. Add chops; sear until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip chops and transfer skillet to the oven.
7
Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into centers reads 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F (63 to 66 degrees C), about 15 minutes.
8
Transfer chops to a plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil.
9
Return the skillet to the stovetop; place a towel over the hot handle. Add ¼ cup chicken broth and balsamic vinegar; bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Off heat, stir in butter. Taste; adjust seasoning if desired. Serve sauce over pork chops.