Apple Bacon Stuffed Iowa Pork Chops

Yesterday Iowa chops were on sale for $1.77 a pound at Fareways.  They were put on my shopping list because of it.  We’re so blessed to live in Iowa where you can get these beauties.  Sticking with my need to use up apples, I’m going to stuff them with apples and bacon. 

Apple Bacon Stuffed Iowa Chop

4 Iowa pork chops

2 medium peeled, cored and diced baking apples

8 strips of bacon

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

4 fresh sage leaves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 tbs. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Prep work:

Dice your onion, sage leaves and garlic as fine as you can and set aside. 

Use a 4 to 6 inch knife and pierce the fatty side of the chop. Wiggle your knife side to side until your pocket is about 5″ long and 3″ wide (about 70% of the chop).

Cut up your bacon into small bite sized pieces and fry it in a cast iron skillet. Over medium heat, add your apples and onion and cook until they are tender and beginning to caramelize (about 8 minutes).  Add garlic, sage, cinnamon, and lemon juice and toss for 2 minutes.  You can use ground sage if you don’t have fresh.  Use about ½ teaspoon. 

Remove stuffing from heat, transfer to bowl to let it cool.

Salt and pepper each side of pork chop, stuff it with as much stuffing as you can fit and use a skewer or toothpick to close and prevent spilling (about half of the stuffing will be leftover).

Insert pork chops into your cast iron skillet you used for the apple stuffing to sear on each side, cook each side of the chops for 5 minutes in hot pan over medium heat.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 35 minutes

Baking until done. Test the chops with a thermometer to make sure they are done. I cook mine to 160. No thermometer, then cut a slice off and make sure you see no pink at all.  Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pork chop and how much stuffing you have put in them.  

To serve, warm remaining stuffing and spoon on top of each chop.

Be happy we live in Iowa and have Iowa chops readily available.  May God bless you and yours.