Looking for something different to cook this weekend? Try these pesto-packed pork chops. It may sound unusual to combine pesto with pork, but it works. The pork chops are stuffed with a mixture of pesto, feta cheese, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, and topped with a rub and sweet glaze. The filling and glaze are super flavorful, and they help keep the chops nice and moist. This recipe will definitely chase away the “What should I cook?!” blues.
Pesto-Packed Pork Chops
Ingredients
Serves 2
3 tbls. crumbled feta cheese
5 tbls. refrigerated pesto
1 tbls. pine nuts, toasted
2 tbls. jalapeno jelly
1 tbls. balsamic
2 pork loin chops, cut 1¼ inch thick
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground red pepper, celery seed, fennel seed, crushed
¼ tsp. ground cumin
Preparation
For filling, in a small mixing bowl, stir together feta cheese, 3 tbls. of pesto and pine nuts. For glaze, in a small sauce pan, melt jelly over low heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tbls. pesto and the balsamic vinegar, heating through. Set aside.
Trim fat from meat. Make a wide and deep pocket in each chop by cutting horizontally from the fat side to the opposite side. Spoon filling into each pocket. If necessary, secure the opening with a wooden pick.
For the rub, in small mixing bowl, combine garlic, black pepper, red pepper, celery seed, fennel seed, thyme, and cumin. Rub evenly onto all sides of meat.
Heat a grill to medium. Place chops on grill, cover and grill for 35-40 minutes. Turn once during cooking time, apply glaze and then apply glaze again occasionally during the last 10 minutes.
Tips and Tidbits
You can also cook these pork chops in the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put chops in a glass dish sprayed with non-stick oil. Brush the chops with glaze, and cover and bake for 30 minutes. Take the cover off, turn chops and glaze them and then cook for 10 more minutes without the cover on.
Maggie Canon is a nationally recognized magazine, website and book editor. She founded InfoWorld magazine and was the editor in chief of several other leading technology publications. She has since focused her career on consumer content including developing and launching the leading lifestyle website Glam.com and producing the best-selling book series America 24/7.
In addition, she was the co-host of HGTV’s 21st Century Home television series. She is an avid traveler, cook and entertainer.
