Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 4 x 1 ½ inch thick center-cut pork loin chops, excess fat trimmed
Brine
- 4 cups apple cider – (1000ml)
- 3 ½ cups water – (875ml)
- ½ cup salt – (125ml)
- ½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar – (125ml)
- 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper – (45ml)
- 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage – (15ml)
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon – (10ml)
Stuffing
- 1 ½ cups of garlic croutons – (375ml)
- ¾ cup chopped apple – (187ml)
- ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese – (187ml)
- 1 tablespoon raisins – (15ml)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter – melted – (30ml)
- 1 tablespoon orange juice – (15ml)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (5ml)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider- (15ml)
- 1 /4 teaspoon salt – (1.25ml)
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of fresh nutmeg
Pork – Cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – (15ml)
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) – (500ml)
- ¾ cups chicken broth – (150ml)
- ½ cup apple cider – (125ml)
- ¼ cup Calvados – (60ml)
- 2 tablespoons raisins – (30ml)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger- (2.5ml)
- ½ cup whipping cream – (75ml)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard – (15ml)
Directions
- Prepare the brine: Combine all of the brine ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and then add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours up to 2 days.
- Pull out chops and pat dry with a clean towel. Cut a deep stuffing slice at the centre of each chop, but don’t go all the way through the meat.
- Stuffing: Combine garlic croutons, chopped apple, shredded cheese, and raisins in a large bowl and toss.
- In a second bowl, combine the melted & unsalted butter, orange juice, orange zest, apple cider, salt, cinnamon, and fresh nutmeg. Pour this liquid mix over the dry mix containing the croutons and toss until generously coated. Using a spoon or piping bag without a tip, gently stuff the pork chops with mix. Close the opening with a wooden toothpick.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Put in pork chops and brown on each side; no longer than 3 minutes. Plate the pork chops and cover to keep warm.
- In same skillet your chops just came from, sauté onion over medium heat until soft. Stir in the apple slices and sauté until these until they are golden – another 3 minutes. Add your broth and cider, Calvados, raisins, and ginger. Stir and incorporate all of the flavours including the browning bit from the bottom of your pan. Add cream and mustard and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and re-introduce pork. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Turn over at least once. Internal temperature on the pork should be 150°F.
- Plate the pork chops. Let sauce thicken for another 5 min. Season the sauce with the salt and pepper and spoon over pork.