Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
These stuffed pork chops are absolutely amazing! They're filled with a flavorful mixture of honey crisp apples, bacon, shallots, and smoked cheddar cheese. Start by searing the pork chops in the pan, finish in the oven, and add a delicious finishing touch with an easy mustard sauce on top!
Featured Comment
“
Absolutely delicious! I also made your honey roasted carrots, very yummy!! Rounded out the meal with some roasted potatoes! Both your recipes are definitely keepers!! ~Cat”
Quick Look: Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
- 🕐 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 35 minutes
- ⏱ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 4
- 🔥 Calories: ~568 kcal per serving
- 🥘 Cook Method: Sear stuffed pork chops in a skillet, finish in the oven, then make a quick pan sauce.
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Sweet apple and smoky bacon filling balanced by a tangy Dijon pan sauce.
- 📊 Difficulty: Intermediate.
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Table of Contents
What Makes My Stuffed Pork Chops Recipe So Good
- My family won’t even order pork chops at a restaurant anymore because what I make at home is so much better! That makes me very proud after so many years of cooking pork.
- Stuffing is the real star though, made with apples, bacon, shallots, and smoked cheddar cheese. It’s hard not to love a filling that balances savory and sweet so well!
- The delicious mustard sauce that smother the stuffed pork chops is something I often make for pork dishes, whether it’s simple pan-seared pork chops, bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, or even over grilled pork chops.
- Stuffing pork chops also helps keep them more juicy and flavorful, so I often opt for stuffed pork. It’s true for stuffed pork loin too.
Ingredient Notes and Possible Substitutions
- Pork chops: Bone-in chops is what I prefer when I stuff them. I also highly recommend thick cut, 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick, to hold the filling best. Boneless chops work too, just watch the cook time since they tend to finish a few minutes faster.
- Apple: A sweet, crisp apple like Honeycrisp keeps its shape in the filling. Gala or Fuji both work well as a swap.
- Shallot: Shallots bring a milder, sweeter flavor than onion. Use a small sweet onion such as Vidalia if you need a substitute.
- Smoked cheddar: Smoked cheddar adds a deep, savory note to the filling. Gruyere or smoked Gouda are both great substitutes.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon gives the pan sauce its tang without heat. Don’t swap in yellow mustard, it changes both the flavor and the color of the sauce.
- Chicken stock: Homemade chicken stock gives the sauce more body, but a good low-sodium store-bought stock works well too.
How to Make Stuffed Pork Chops: Step by Step Visual Guide
- Let the pork chops sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking. Cold meat seizes up in a hot pan, so this short rest helps it cook more evenly.
- Season both sides of pork right before you’re ready to add them to the pan. Pat the seasoning down into the pork.
- Cook the bacon first, then the shallot, in the same skillet you’ll use to sear the chops later. Rendering the bacon fat first is what flavors the apples as they cook.
- Pull the filling off the heat before stirring in the cheddar. Adding cheese to a hot pan would melt it unevenly instead of holding pockets of gooey cheese throughout the stuffing.
- Cut the pocket from the side of the chop, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges. A pocket that’s too big tears through, and one that’s too shy won’t hold enough filling.
- Don’t overstuff. A snug, not bursting, pocket sears evenly and holds together. Secure the opening with one or two toothpicks, and twist gently as you remove them later since they tend to stick to hot meat.
- Sear the stuffed chops in the same skillet used for the filling, then move straight to the oven. The fond left behind from the bacon and shallots will flavor the chops as they cook.
- Pull the chops at 140°F and let carryover heat finish the job, they’ll climb to a safe 145°F while resting. Pork is lean, so a few extra minutes in the oven is the difference between juicy and dry. Check the thermometer in the meat itself, not the stuffing, since the filling heats up faster and will give you a false high reading.
- Build the sauce while the chops rest, using the same pan. Towards the end, I make sure to whisk in those reserved pork juices to increase the richness of flavor of the sauce.
Make Ahead, Storing and Reheating Stuffed Pork Chops
- Refrigerate leftover pork chops and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in short bursts, to avoid drying out the pork.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the stuffing ahead of time to save yourself about 15-20 minutes of prep time and stuff the pork chops right before cooking them.
- It is NOT recommended to stuff raw meat ahead of time. Meats should be stuffed right before cooking.
What to Serve with Stuffed Pork Chops
- Potatoes: The best fluffy mashed potatoes or try Instant Pot mashed potatoes. For crunchy potatoes, make oven roasted potatoes are both classic with the mustard pan sauce.
- Vegetables: pan roasted brussels sprouts with bacon echo the same sweet and savory flavors as the filling. Honey butter glazed carrots work well too.
- Grains: Rice pilaf or cheesy grits make a hearty base for soaking up extra sauce.
Stuffed Pork Chops FAQs
To What Temperature Should I Cook Pork Chops?
Pork is a very lean meat, so it’s easy to overcook it. Pork should be cooked to 145°F internal temperature.
Since meats continue to cook for a few minutes after you pull them out of the oven, you can take them out around 138°F-140°F and let them rest.
How Long to Cook Stuffed Pork in the Oven
For stuffed pork chops and non-stuffed pork chops, it’s best to cook them at a higher temperature for less time to keep them from drying out.
I cook my pork chops in the oven at 425°F. For stuffed pork chops that are about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick, it takes 15-18 minutes in the oven after searing for a few minutes first.
If you did not sear stuffed pork chops first, it will be closer to 20 minutes bake time.
How do I keep the filling from falling out of pork chop?
Don’t overstuff the pocket, and secure the opening with a toothpick or two. A little filling escaping into the pan is normal and only adds flavor to the sear.
Can I use boneless pork chops?
Yes, though bone-in chops are easier to stuff since the bone keeps the pocket from tearing all the way through. If using boneless, watch the cook time since they tend to finish a few minutes faster.
Can I freeze stuffed pork chops?
Personally, I don’t recommend it because pork is already so lean and easy to overcook. If you freeze cooked pork chops, the texture once thawed and reheated will be likely tough and dry.
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Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops Recipe
These stuffed pork chops are absolutely amazing! They're filled with a flavorful mixture of honey crisp apples, bacon, shallots, and smoked cheddar cheese. Start by searing the pork chops in the pan, finish in the oven, and add a delicious finishing touch with an easy mustard sauce on top!
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Servings: 4
Calories: 568kcal
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops 1 to 1 1/4 inch in thickness
- kosher coarse salt
- black pepper
Filling:
- 1 honeycrisp apple or other sweeter apple, diced
- 5-6 slices of raw bacon diced
- 1 shallot diced
- 3 oz smoked cheddar cheese can also use Gruyere or smoked Gouda
- pinch salt and black pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 tsp all purpose flour* use gluten free flour if needed
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pull pork chops out of the refrigerator and let it rest and warm up before cooking.
Make the Filling:
- Peel, core, and dice apple into small pieces. Dice bacon and shallot and grate cheddar on a cheese grater.
- Preheat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of oil.
- Add diced bacon and cook for a few minutes, until bacon fat is rendered about half way.
- Add diced shallot and cook until almost all of the bacon fat is rendered. Add apples and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook everything until apples are softened and bacon fat is all rendered.
- Take the filling mixture out of the pan but leave the grease in the pan.
- Let the apple bacon mixture cool a little bit and stir in grated cheese.
To Stuff Pork Chops:
- Place pork chop onto the cutting board and place your hand over it. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket in the pork chop that is large but don't slice all the way through.
- Stuff each pork chop with prepared stuffing and secure the opening with a toothpick or two. Tip: Don't overstuff the pocket or the filling may pour out once the meat cooks and tightens.
Cooking Stuffed Pork Chops:
- Use the same skillet where you prepared the filling to cook the meat.
- Make sure to reheat the skillet over medium-high heat if it cooled down.
- Place stuffed pork chops into the skillet and let it sear for a couple of minutes. Flip them over and let them sear for about a minute.
- Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven and cook until internal temrpature reaches 145°F. Since pork will continue to cook while resting, I pull them out when they reach 138°F-140°F.
- Note: for the stuffed pork chops that are about 1 – 1¼ inch thick, it will take 15-18 minutes in the oven.
To Make the Sauce:
- Prepare your ingredients before starting to cook.
- Start cooking the sauce right after you pull the pork chops out of the oven, while they are resting.
- Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat and add diced shallot. Cook shallots until completely softened and start to brown.
- Sprinkle flour over the onion and stir. Once onions are coated in flour start to pour in chicken stock as you whisk continuously.
- Add vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, sage, salt, and pepper. Whisk well until sauce is smooth and thickened.
- Scoop out about 1/4 cup of juices that accumulated in the skillet from cooking pork and stir it into the sauce. (If you want the sauce even thinner, add some more juices from cooking pork.)
- Top pork chops with sauce when serving!
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free Notes: to make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free all purpose flour. Remaining ingredients should already be gluten free but double check the packaging.
- Storing: If you have any leftovers, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a lid for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 793mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg
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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in September 2021.
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This dish was absolutely delicious! Served with roasted carrots and a long grain wild rice mix. Company worthy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the dish! Roasted carrots and wild rice sound like the perfect sides to complement it!
Absolutely delicious! I also made your honey roasted carrots, very yummy!! Rounded out the meal with some roasted potatoes! Both your recipes are definitely keepers!!
Thank you, Cat! I am so glad you liked them!
Everyone must try this dish! Absolutely delicious. Definitely a keeper! The Apple ,bacon and we used Gruyère cheese. Thank you Lyuba
You are so welcome, Liz! I am so glad you liked it!