Stuffed Pork Chops

[Ragtopn]

My recipe calls for the stuffed pork chops to be stuffed with diced Italian Sausage, pan sear and bake for one hour. Should I pre-cook the sausage or stuff it raw with the other ingredients to be stuffed. The recipe does not specify. Thank you.

[kuan]

I would stuff it with raw sausage. You need an instant read thermometer. Forget the one hour time. Once the stuffing gets to 170F it's done.

If you use cooked sausage you will still have to get it to 170F in the middle as there's no guarantee that the raw pork juices did not comingle with the cooked sausage.

Everyone should learn how to calibrate an instant read thermometer, or get a digital if you have a few extra bucks to spare. Always get one which tells actual temperature, not just rare, medium, well.

[Pete]

When I make stuffings with sausage I prefer to pre-cook the sausage as I find that, sometimes, using the raw sausage leaves my stuffing a little too greasey, but it really is a matter of taste and opinion. But like Kuan said, either way you need to make sure that your stuffing comes up to the proper temp. to make sure it is safe.

[cheflayne]

Seeing as how the recipe calls for diced sausage, I would assume it to be a precooked item. I always use a precook sausage for stuffing, or cook my stuffing first because if I don't by the time the stuffing is done whatever I stuffed is over done. One hour for pork chops seems like way too much time to me. How thick are they? I do 8 ounce stuffed pork loin that takes about 8 to 10 minutes.

[Ragtopn]

Thank you so much for all of your responses. I precooked the italian sausage prior to stuffing it into the chops. The recipe was a HUGE success, and the one-hour cook time was perfect. The chops were very thick and super juicy. Here is the recipe if anyone wants to try it. I always look for basic recipes and then tweek them to suit my tastes. Hope you enjoy it as much as my guests did.

4-large pork chops
1/4-cup italian dried bread crumbs
1/2 pound italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 slice prosciutto, minced
1 slice mozzarella, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
bunch mushrooms
cornstarch and water

Preheat oven 350*. Cut a pocket in the chops and set aside. Saute sausage, drain. Add prosciutto, onions and celery and cook for a few minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. In a bowl combine breadcrumbs and mozzarella. Add sausage mixture to breadcrumbs, toss and let cool.

Add olive oil to skillet, sprinkle chops inside and out with salt and pepper and brown chops on either side for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and place in roasting pan. Stuff with sausage mixture. In the skillet, combine chicken stock, white wine, mushrooms and butter. Bring to a boil, simmer to reduce for 8 minutes. Pour over chops and bake for one hour.

Steam some japanese sticky rice and put on a platter. Top with chops. Place roasting pan on stove top and bring to a slow boil. Make a slurry with cornstarch and water and add to pan juices to make a gravy. Pour gravy over chops and rice. Serve with sourdough bread.

Bon' Appetit.