by Montana Max
Ingredients
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- 4 pork chops, approx 1” thick
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- Sea salt & black pepper
Filling:
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- 1 apple, any sweet variety will work, diced
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- 6 slices of bacon, diced
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- 1 shallot, diced
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- 4 oz smoked Gouda
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- Salt and pepper
Sauce:
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- 1 TBL butter
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- 1 shallot diced
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- 2 tsp all purpose flour
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- 1/2 cup chicken stock
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- 2 TBL apple cider vinegar
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- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
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- 2 tsp real maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 400° F.
- Begin making the filling: Core and dice apple into small pieces (okay to leave skins on). Dice bacon and shallot and cut gouda into small cubes.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of oil.
- Add diced bacon and cook until bacon fat is partially rendered, approx 3 to 4 min
- Add diced shallot and cook until almost all of the bacon fat is rendered.
- Add apples and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook everything together until apples are softened and bacon fat is completely done rendering.
- Scoop the filling mixture out of the pan into a medium bowl, but leave the grease in the skillet.
- Let the apple bacon filling cool down some and then add in gouda cheese. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place pork chop onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in the pork chop that is large but don’t slice all the way through. Helpful to lay your hand on top of the pork chop while slicing.
- Stuff each pork chop with the filling. If needed, you can secure the opening with a toothpick.
- Prepare to sear pork chops and make sure skillet is at medium-high heat.
- Place stuffed pork chops into the skillet and let it sear for a couple of minutes until nicely browned. Flip them over and let them sear for about a minute to get nice color. Remove.
- In preheated smoker, place the seared stuffed pork chop directly on the smoker grates.
- Cook until internal temperature reaches 145°. (approx 20 minutes or so)
To Make the Sauce:
- Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat and add diced shallots. Cook shallots until translucent, softened, and start to brown.
- Sprinkle flour over the shallots and stir to coat.
- Slowly pour in chicken stock as you whisk continuously.
- Add vinegar, Cowboy Crafted Beer mustard, maple syrup, sage, salt, and pepper. Whisk well until sauce is smooth, bubbly, and thickened.
- Top pork chops with warm sauce and garnish with chopped fresh chives. Time to dish up!