I just about cried when I read Melanie Dougherty’s recipe for pork chops. I love pork chops and they love me! My grandfather was a butcher in Brooklyn for over 50 years and I love butcher shops.

For me it’s like a kid going to the toy store. I go to a great butcher in Lincroft. The big grocery stores have a nice selection of meat and the meat counter is pretty good, but I’m a big fan of a dying breed, local butchers. In all fairness, you’ll pay more at a butcher but the quality in my opinion and the thickness of the cuts of meat are worth the extra bucks.

Poor Joe the butcher has cut steaks for me that would rival anything Fred Flintstone would attempt to put on a plate! When I saw Melanie’s recipe I thought immediately of going and getting those big pork chops that can support her stuffing and also be thick enough where you can taste the terrific flavor of the chop.

Melanie says that she has this “thing” with gravy. I have a “thing” with gravy too, it’s in my bloodstream. Seriously, I cut myself in the kitchen the other day and gravy came out! I hate when that happens. Sorry for the joke. Melanie likes to add a little gravy or sauce to her dishes and she came up with this recipe after a few attempts at making the pork chops moist. So go out and get a big chop, one that would make Fred Flintstone and me proud. Thanks, Melanie, for the recipe, I’ve got to go now and “stuff my face”.

What you'll need:

4 medium cut bone-in loin pork chops
6 slices of bread torn into small pieces
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh sage
Salt & pepper to taste
Pork seasoning
2 - 1/2 cups beef broth, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Gravy Master
Quick-mixing flour (Wondra)

How to put it together:

Make small slit in fat side of pork chop with pairing knife and carefully cut inside of chop to form a pocket. Season chops with salt, pepper, and pork seasoning.

Combine bread, onions, 1 tablespoon of melted butter, parsley, sage, and salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup beef broth, a little at a time, to stuffing mixture making
sure it sticks together but is not too wet. Stuff inside the pork chop pockets.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet large enough to fit all four pork chops. Brown chops over medium heat about 5 minutes on each side. Once chops are nicely browned, add 2 cups beef broth and simmer on low with lid on for 30 minutes. Turn chops a couple of times during the simmer. Transfer pork chops to a plate and tent with foil.

Return pan with broth to medium heat. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon Gravy Master. Once sauce comes to a slow boil shake in a little Wondra at a time while whisking until desired gravy thickness.

Return chops to pan with any juices and coat with gravy. Serve and enjoy! These pork
chops are excellent with homemade applesauce and sautéed brussel sprouts with garlic, red wine vinegar, and parmesan. Serves 4

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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