Cornbread Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

Looking for something different to make for dinner tonight? In less than an hour, you can make this savoury cast-iron Cornbread Apple Stuffed Pork Chops recipe from start to finish. Start by making a fragrant and flavourful apple stove top cornbread dressing, stuff it into pork chops, and bake them to perfection.

If you’re a frequent reader, you already know how much I love stuffing. From my family’s favourite turkey stuffing to Stuffed Peppers, Butternut Squash and these sensational Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts, stuffing is always a great way to level up a meal.

Stuffed Pork Chops

Got leftover cornbread? It makes a fabulous stuffing for chicken, turkey, and even pork chops. Simply use it in place of bread cubes and season it as desired. Serve these mouthwatering pork chops with a side of Maple Balsamic Roasted Carrots and a small side salad.

Think about it… leftover cornbread already has all the makings of a delicious stuffing because it is full of butter. All you have to do is add in some aromatics like celery, onions, and herbs. For these baked stuffed pork chops I’ve also added diced apples because pork and apples are a the most delicious combination.

These stuffed pork chops are savoury, with the slightest hint of sweetness in the filling. The filling is moist and the perfect combination of dense and fluffy with a few crispy edges. The fresh herbs are a great compliment to the apples and pork

Stuffing pork chops is much easier than stuffing a pork loin, though you can also use this cornbread stuffing recipe to stuff a pork loin instead. If you’re nervous, just use a small sharp knife and follow my easy instructions.

Be sure to sear the pork chops in an oven safe skillet so that you can finish cooking them in the oven. Note that this tasty main dish recipe is ready in under 35 minutes, so I recommend starting your sides before you get going on the pork chops.

Choosing Pork Chops for this Recipe

For this recipe, choose centre-cut rib chop, also known as pork chop end cut, pork rib cut chop, rib end cut, or rib pork chop from rib section of the loin. A boneless centre loin chop, center-cut loin chop, loin pork chop, pork loin end chop, porterhouse, or top-loin chop from the hip and loin toward to the back of the animal work well too.

Choose chops that are about 1 inch thick. This will make it easier to slice in half. This recipe was tested with boneless pork chops. If you choose to use bone-in chops, you will need to increase the cooking time by around 25% more.

Ingredients for Cornbread Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

In every stuffing recipe, there’s a carb (the cornbread), aromatics (onion, celery, garlic), and herbs. Other additions, like apples add even more flavour.

• Boneless Pork Chops
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Unsalted Butter
• Apple
• Celery
• Garlic
• Chicken Stock
• Cornbread Crumbs
• Parsley
• Sage

I cut my apples very small, in half-inch pieces. You can cut them into bigger cubes or even slices if you prefer. The bigger the pieces, the longer it may take to cook them.

If needed, you can substitute dried parsley and sage for the fresh herbs. If you choose to do so, use ⅓ the amount that you would use in fresh herbs, so around 1-½ teaspoons.

For the cornbread cubes/crumbs, you can use about half of a fully prepared & baked box of Jiffy brand cornbread. Many grocery stores carry pre-baked cornbread in the bakery area, or you can bake your own!

Although I only tested this recipe using cornbread, feel free to use an equal amount of bread cubes or instant stuffing mix such as Stovetop brand. Note that Stovetop stuffing already contains flavourings like chicken stock, herbs, and quite a bit of salt.

How to Make Cornbread Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

To begin, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare the Pork Chops

Pat the outsides of the pork chops with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Next, use a filet knife or sharp paring knife to slice pockets into the pork chops. Be sure not to cut all the way through, leaving about ½ inch diameter around ¾ of the circumference of the chops.

Season the insides and outsides of the pork chops with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Make the Cornbread Apple Stuffing

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, until translucent. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the onions are lightly browned and caramelized.

Melt the unsalted butter in the pan then add the diced apple and celery, and cook them for 3-4 minutes, or until softened.

Next, pour in the chicken stock and add the garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Finally, fold in the cornbread crumbs, parsley, and sage, and remove pan from heat.

Assemble and Cook

Fill each pork chop with ¼ of the apple cornbread mixture and nestle the chop into the skillet.

When all the chops are filled, transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, then turn on the oven broiler. Broil pork chops for 5-7 minutes, watching very carefully so they don’t burn.

Remove the skillet from the oven when the tops of the pork chops are golden browned and the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F when tested with a meat thermometer.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Boneless pork chops can dry out if cooked too long, so be sure to pay close attention to your cooking times.
• Cast iron skillets tend to get very hot, even through the handle, so use extra care when transferring the chops to and from the oven.
• Watch very closely while broiling your chops. They can burn quickly, and the last thing you’ll want is a kitchen full of smoke, a fire, or a burn.
• If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can either use a different variety of oven-safe skillet (such as a stainless-steel skillet), or you can use a stovetop skillet to cook the filling, then stuff the chops and transfer them to a greased or lined 9×13 baking dish.

Leftovers will stay good in the fridge for about 2 days when covered tightly.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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