Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Cornbread and Herb Stuffed Pork Chops: A Cozy Holiday Classic
Nothing says comfort food quite like a meal that brings the essence of the holidays right to your table. This Cornbread and Herb Stuffed Pork Chops recipe is exactly that—a delicious, heartwarming dish that combines the buttery, savory flavors of classic holiday stuffing with the tenderness of perfectly cooked pork chops. The result is a main course that’s ideal for cozy holiday suppers or any time you want to elevate your weeknight dinner.
The Comfort of Stuffing, Reinvented
Stuffing has long been a staple in American holiday feasts, particularly at Thanksgiving. Traditionally served alongside roast turkey, stuffing is made from bread, herbs, and broth, then baked to perfection. In this recipe, we take that beloved holiday side and tuck it into thick, bone-in pork chops, infusing the meat with the rich, savory flavors of cornbread, sage, and rosemary. It’s a marriage of two classic dishes that feels both familiar and innovative.
A Nod to Southern Influence
Cornbread stuffing gives this dish a Southern twist, where cornbread has been a mainstay in regional cooking for centuries. Cornbread’s crumbly, slightly sweet texture makes it the perfect base for a stuffing that’s light yet flavorful. The use of fresh sage and rosemary enhances the earthy, herbal notes in the stuffing, providing a fragrant counterbalance to the richness of the pork. It’s reminiscent of Thanksgiving feasts but feels fresh and new when paired with the pork chops.
Perfectly Cooked Pork Chops
The key to this dish is the pork chops themselves. Thick, bone-in chops are essential for keeping the meat tender and juicy as they bake. The bone helps to insulate the pork, ensuring that the meat cooks evenly and retains its moisture. When you bite into these pork chops, you’re greeted with a combination of perfectly cooked pork and a flavorful stuffing that’s buttery, herby, and full of warmth.
A Decadent Mustard Cream Sauce
What truly elevates this dish is the creamy mustard sauce that gets drizzled over the pork chops just before serving. Made with heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and a splash of white wine, the sauce is rich and tangy, adding a luxurious element to the dish. Fresh sage is infused into the sauce as it simmers, layering the flavors of the stuffing and pork with even more herbal depth. The result is a velvety, savory sauce that perfectly complements the cornbread stuffing without overwhelming the dish.
A Show-Stopping Main Course
Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering or simply want to create a special meal, Cornbread and Herb Stuffed Pork Chops are sure to impress. The dish is elegant yet comforting, making it perfect for any occasion. The combination of the buttery stuffing, tender pork, and the creamy mustard sauce creates a meal that feels indulgent but not overly complicated. It’s a recipe that brings the warmth of the holidays into any dinner, no matter the time of year.
For those who love the flavors of Thanksgiving and the idea of taking classic comfort food to the next level, this recipe is a must-try. The stuffed pork chops are hearty and full of flavor, while the mustard sauce adds just the right amount of sophistication. It’s a dish that feels like a hug on a plate—a celebration of flavor, texture, and warmth.
Ingredients:
CHOPS:
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup onion, minced
2 cups cornbread, crumbled
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
4 each pork chops, bone in, (1 to 1-1/2-inch thick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 sprig fresh sage
Garnish: fresh chopped sage (if desired
Instructions:
PHASE I: STUFF CHOPS & PRE-COOK: (50 minutes)
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. In a medium bowl, stir together onion, crumbled cornbread, broth, and herbs.
Cut a pocket into each pork chop by cutting into side of chop toward the bone. Stuff cornbread mixture into chops. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over pork chops. In same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven.
Bake for 20 minutes.
PHASE 2: MAKE SAUCE & FINISH COOKING: (15 minutes)
Remove pork chops from skillet; keep warm.
Stir wine into skillet; cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon.
Whisk in cream, mustard, sage sprig, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Return pork chops to skillet; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes (check pork chop with an instant read thermometer that should read at least 145°).
How can you go wrong with buttery, Thanksgiving-like stuffing, inside of a pork chop slathered with a delicious savory sauce. The pork chops are perfectly cooked. The stuffing is plentiful, full of savory sage and rosemary, and decident butter. Now add the creamy, buttery, sagey sauce and you have created a masterpiece of a main course meal.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1012 Calories; 65g Fat (58.1% calories from fat); 47g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 264mg Cholesterol; 1713mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; 2mcg Vitamin D; 381mg Calcium; 5mg Iron; 980mg Potassium; 675mg Phosphorus. Exchanges: .