Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops, for a delicious meal for two or a whole crowd.
A good friend of mine cooked me this recipe one night and I hounded him for weeks to get the recipe.
Imagine thick, juicy pork chops stuffed with a blend of crunchy pecans, buttery breadcrumbs, and savory herbs. When cooked to perfection, they deliver a symphony of textures and flavors, with the rich nuttiness of the pecans complementing the tender pork beautifully.
Perfect for a cozy night in or an impressive dinner party dish.
Chop the pecans, basil and thyme.
Cook the butter either in a pan or the microwave just to melt it, no need to brown it.
Add the stuffing ingredients to the food processor and pulse until you get a paste. It will still be a bit grainy and that is OK. Scrape down the sides of the bowl half way through it to assure a consistent result.
Using a pairing knife, cut a small slit in the center of the side of the pork chop. Then rock the blade back and forth while moving in and out so as to create a bigger pocket on the inside. The goal is to keep the opening just wide enough to insert the stuffing while keeping it small to avoid any spillage during cooking.
Using a teaspoon add the stuffing to the pork chop until full.
Don't be afraid of using your fingers to push the stuffing all the way in the pocket, many times your hands are your best friends.
Using a cooking brush, in my case I love a silicon one, brush the Dijon mustard on each side of the pork chops. Lay it on thick!
Now it's time to grill!
Place the pork chops on a hot grill. I cook them 3 minutes and then I turn them 45 degrees to get some nice marks.
After about 6 minutes I flip them over to cook the other side. And while I am at it I brush some more Dijon mustard on them.
I keep turning them until the internal temperature is about 140 degrees. Keep in mind that the residual heat will bring them up to about 145 degrees by the time you eat them.
As with steaks follow your preference and cook them as done as you would like.
Once you take them off the grill, cover them with some aluminum foil and let them rest 5 minutes.
I like to serve them with roasted potatoes but mashed potatoes would be lovely as well.