My Story in Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect

Bourbon Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops

8/18/2011

0 Comments

 
​When my husband and I first got married, I was not a very good cook.  Not because I lacked culinary skills, mostly because I lacked the time to devote to grocery shopping or preparing decent meals.  I was teaching a full day Kindergarten class and my husband had his own full time job in the military.  All of my free time seemed to be consumed with creating bulletin boards, writing lesson plans and conferencing with parents.  I have so much respect for teachers and the hard work and dedication that it takes to be a teacher.  
Picture
​My husband was very patient and he never complained about the dinners that were thrown together with very little thought or planning.  They were less than gourmet - except when we had guests for dinner.  That's when I broke out the "company food".  With a little extra planning and preparation, I could pull off an extravagant meal with all trimmings.  Now, after 18 years of marriage, I think I have finally figured out how to plan and prepare delicious meals in spite of my busy life.  It makes me laugh to think back at how "busy" we thought we were when it was just the two of us.  Two teenagers and two careers later, I had no idea what it meant to be truly busy.

As busy as my life seems now, I know that there are a lot of you who have a whole lot more "on their plate" than I do.  Hang in there and "give thanks in all circumstances."  1 Thessalonians 5:18  

I want to share one of my favorite "make ahead" recipes with you so that you can create a delicious meal for your family - even on a busy night.  I used to reserve these pecan and bourbon stuffed pork chops for "company food" but I have learned that we can have them anytime by preparing them up to 2 days in advance.  This is also a great meal to serve at a dinner party because the chops can be prepared ahead of time so you're not scrambling to cook or clean up just before your guests arrive.  I also delivered this fully cooked meal along with heating instructions to a family from the church that needed "easy to reheat meals."
Stuffed Pork Chops 
14 Tablespoons butter      
1 onion, diced               
1 cup celery                   
¼ cup smoked ham               
3 Tablespoons bourbon        
1 cup bread crumbs               
4 Tablespoons pecans, chopped     
8 ounces heavy cream
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
8 pork chops, thick cut with bone in
3 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 cups hot water

Melt 6 T. butter in skillet.  Add ½ c. onion, 1/3 c. celery and ham.  Cook 10 minutes.  Add bourbon and bring to a boil.  Reduce.  Remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs, pecans, ½ t. thyme and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  
​Cut deep pocket in chop and divide stuffing evenly among chops.
Melt 3 T. butter in skillet.  Add chops and brown on both sides.
Picture
Picture
Remove from pan and add additional 2 T. butter.  Add 2/3 c. onions and 1/3 c. celery.  Cook 5 minutes.

Add 1 T. flour and cook 1 more minute.

Combine bouillon and water and slowly whisk 1 cup into vegetable mixture.   Raise heat to medium and stir in ½ t. thyme, ¼ t. pepper and ¼ t. salt.  Scrape bits from bottom of pan. 

Return chops to pan and add remaining bouillon.  Baste chops with liquid.  Bring to a fast simmer and turn to low and cover with a lid.  Cook 1 ½ - 2 hours, basting every 20 minutes.

Blend 2 T. flour with 2 ½ T soft butter.

Remove chops from pan and bring gravy to a boil.

Add butter-flour mixture.  Simmer 3 minutes.  Add ½ - 1 cup cream until gravy thickens.  
Serve chops with gravy.

These pork chops are definitely not low in fat or calories but they are worth the indulgence every once in a while.  Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients or the lengthy instructions.  Plan about 40 minutes to get the pork chops ready and another hour and a half of cooking time.

This recipe makes 8 pork chops so you may end up with some leftovers.  When I have pork chops left over, I transfer the cooked chops to a pyrex dish to cool.  Once they're cool, I cover and refrigerate or freeze them.  When I am ready to reheat the pork chops, I cover the pan with foil and put it in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they are warmed through.

​Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Like my page on facebook.

    Follow me on Instagram


    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Categories

    All
    30 Minute Meals
    30-minute-meals
    Big Green Egg Recipes
    Chocolate
    Christmas Classics
    Comfort Foods
    Crock Pot Meals
    Fall Favorites
    Healthy-choices
    Healthy-choices
    My Favorites
    Springtime Treats
    St Patrick's Day Goodies
    Summertime Specialties
    Thanksgiving Classics
    Valentine Treats
    Vegetarian
    Winter Warm Ups

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

Photos from Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, Texas_Custom_Patios
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect