Bored of building nightly dinners around chicken and beef? We recommend pushing poultry to the side and embracing the humble pork chop. While the chops of your childhood may have been pale and dry, we have a recipe on hand that will redeem this affordable, juicy cut.
This dish comes from culinary creator Jess Pryles, a pro chef, television show host, meat expert, live-fire cook, and self-proclaimed "hardcore carnivore." Her book, Prime Cuts, contains everything you need to know about preparing tender, tasty, restaurant-worthy meat dishes — and her guidance is surprisingly beginner-friendly. To elevate pork chops, Pryles specifically recommends splitting them with a knife and stuffing them with a mouthwatering spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, and cream cheese mixture.
"Here’s the real secret to stuffed pork chops," Pryles says. "You gotta use thick-cut ones so the pork doesn’t dry out. I’m talking at least 1½-inch (4 cm) chunkies." Those thin chops on sale are more likely to overcook before the filling is nice and hot.
"Make sure you’re using traditional loin chops, bone-in or boneless," Pryles adds. "They have the whole loin muscle, so you can make a neat pocket for stuffing. Shoulder chops are comprised of several muscles, so it’ll be hard to make a nice cut. Plus, they’re kinda tough." The result is a hearty, flavorful, golden piece of pork oozing with bubbly cheese; spinach and lemon add just enough freshness to cut through the decadence. Expect dinner to be smoky, savory, and perfectly satisfying.
Stuffed Pork Chops with Lemony Ricotta and Spinach
Author: Jess Pryles
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Calories: 640 calories per serving
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 thick-cut pork chops, about 1½ inches (4 cm) thick
- ½ cup (100 g) finely chopped cooked spinach
(drained of excess liquid) - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup (115 g) ricotta cheese
- ½ cup (120 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C) and remove the chops from the fridge.
- In a bowl, combine the spinach, lemon zest and juice, ricotta, cream cheese, parmesan, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
- Use a sharp knife with a fine point to cut a slit into each pork chop. The aim is to cut evenly down the middle of one side, going about three-quarters of the way into the meat, being careful not to cut all the way through. Think of it like a pita pocket!
- Place spoonfuls of the creamy filling into the pork chop. Scrape along the opening so that the stuffing is roughly level with the meat. If it’s overstuffed, it will melt out into the cooking pan.
- Combine the remaining garlic powder and salt with the paprika and pepper. Sprinkle over the pork chops on both sides.
- Place a large, oven-safe skillet over high heat.
Once hot, add the olive oil. - Lay the pork chops in the skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side.
- Place the skillet in the oven to cook for a further 10–15 minutes, or until the filling registers at least 140°F (60°C) on a meat thermometer.
Recipe from Prime Cuts: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Understanding, and Cooking Meat, by Jess Pryles.
