Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops

Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops (Photo by Amy Bradt)

My son-in-law's Mother, Evelyn, is a fabulous cook, and her Cajun dressing is THE best cornbread dressing I have ever had!   I took an old recipe for Stuffed Pork Chops, and tried to mimic her dressing instead of the traditional "Stove-Top" stuffing, and came up with this dish using fresh herbs and mushrooms.  It is a bit spicy, so not for the faint of stomach (i.e. my Stepdad, Hal)

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                           Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
For the Brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 quart water
6 (2-inch thick) bone-in rib loin pork chops, split to bone

For the Cornbread:
1 (8.5-ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/3 cup half & half
2 eggs

For the Stuffing:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Tex-Joy seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups crumbled cornbread (from above recipe)
1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions
Whisk salt, brown sugar and water in large bowl until salt & sugar are dissolved. Place pork chops in a glass 9"x13" dish and pour brine over chops. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat with paper towels until completely dry.

While chops are brining, prepare the cornbread for the stuffing.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Whisk together the Muffin Mix, half & half and eggs.  the batter will be slightly lumpy.  Let rest for 5 minutes, stir lightly, then pour into a greased 8"x8" pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Let cool completely before crumbling.

Reduce oven to 350°.  In large saute pan, fry bacon for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter, celery, onion and garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add the next seven ingredients, and saute for another couple of minutes.
In a large bowl, mix prepared cornbread with bacon/vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well.

Divide stuffing evenly and stuff into pork chops (about 1/2 cup for each). Secure with string or toothpicks.  Melt remaining butter in pan. Brown the chops on both sides over medium-high heat. Place in a 9"x13" baking dish.

Mix remaining chicken broth and milk with mushroom soup in saute pan until smooth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Pour over chops, cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove string or toothpicks before serving.  Pour gravy over chops and serve immediately.

Notes
You can always use dried herbs in lieu of fresh, just substitute a teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh.  I personally prefer the taste of fresh much better!