Quick Cooking Tip #3

I love baked pork chops. I love pork chops baked on top of stuffing. I also love crispy pork chops like you get when you fry them. I have come to a solution that worked out great. I fried the pork chops in butter until they were crispy, then I added the stuffing to soak up some of the pork chop juices and any butter that was left. I cooked the stuffing and pork chops in the same pan until the stuffing looked toasted. At that point I moved the stuffing into the baking dish, laid the pork chops on top, covered the baking dish with foil and baked the pork chops. Super simple. Super tasty! Try it!

Quick Cooking Tip #3: Crispy Pork Chops with Stuffing

I enjoy pork chops in several different ways, including chops baked over stuffing and chops that have a crisp, browned outside. In this cooking tip, I brought those two ideas together. I browned the chops in butter first, then let the stuffing pick up some of the flavor from the same pan before transferring everything to a baking dish. It is a straightforward approach that gives the pork a different texture from chops simply laid in a casserole and baked from the start.

The first step is choosing pork chops of a relatively even thickness. Heat butter in a suitable skillet and brown the chops so the outside develops color. They do not need to finish cooking during this first stage because the dish will go into the oven. Move the chops to a clean plate while you prepare the stuffing, using care to keep utensils that touched raw pork separate from anything ready to eat.

Make Use of the Flavor Left in the Skillet

Once the chops are browned, the skillet contains butter and flavorful browned bits. Prepare your stuffing according to its own directions, then use the pan to give it some additional flavor. The amount of liquid needed depends on whether you're using homemade bread stuffing, a dry commercial mix or stuffing that's already prepared. It should be moist enough to finish cooking but not swimming in liquid.

Transfer the stuffing into a baking dish and arrange the browned pork chops on top. Cover the dish as needed and bake until the chops have reached their appropriate finished temperature, checking with a food thermometer rather than relying entirely on the clock. Whole-cut pork chops should reach 145°F with a three-minute rest, while stuffing that has had contact with raw meat juices should reach 165°F. The actual baking time depends on the thickness of the chops and depth of the stuffing.

Serving Pork Chops and Stuffing

This is an easy dinner to pair with a separate vegetable side, such as green beans, peas or carrots. If your household raises pigs or buys pork in quantity, the method also gives you an option for changing up familiar chops without a complicated ingredient list. The browned flavor goes into the stuffing, and the pork finishes cooking over a dish that already belongs on the dinner table.

The original video is below. It's one of those small cooking methods that can be useful whenever you want something a little different without making an entirely new recipe from scratch. Do you prefer your pork chops baked, browned in a skillet or served over stuffing?