Recipe Basil Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

detroitdad

detroitdad

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We get to see our oldest daughter tomorrow. I'm cooking her and my wife dinner.

Continuing with my theme of cooking something different. I'm going to roll with stuffed bone in chops.

Last week I posted a recipe that I was planning on making and I received some solid suggestions. Some I used, some I didn't. I thought I would do the same this weekend.

Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chilled basil pesto
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
  • 4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Mix feta cheese, basil pesto, and pine nuts in a bowl. Use the tip of a sharp boning or paring knife to cut a 3-inch slit in the side of each pork chop, 2 inches deep and 1/4-inch away from the bone, to make a pocket for stuffing. Stuff pork chops with pesto filling and secure with toothpicks.
  3. Mix black pepper, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme in a small bowl; rub both sides of each chop with the spice mix. Place chops into a shallow baking dish.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until chops are browned and stuffing is hot, about 40 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Brush chops with balsamic vinegar and bake until vinegar forms a glaze, another 5 minutes.
Pesto

Ingredients
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
 
detroitdad said:
Question #1

Can I substitute walnuts for pine nuts in the pesto? Its what I have on hand.
Click to expand...
Absolutely! I know you're not making a pesto here, but what you're doing with the pine nuts is along the same lines (since pine nuts are often used in pesto...you're beefing up the pesto on your ingredient list). So, if you're making a pesto, it really just needs to be something like this (some alternates I've used follow the item name, with the most common one listed first):
  • Greens - Basil, Arugula, Spinach, Cilantro
  • Nuts - Pine Nuts, Walnuts, Chestnuts, Almonds
  • Hard Cheese - Parmesano Reggiano, Romano, Manchego
  • Garlic
  • Olive Oil
The only thing about alternatives to pine nuts in this case is that you'll want to break them up a bit before mixing them for your filling (maybe pulsing in the food processor?). If you were to make pesto from scratch, everything would go into the food processor, and the blades would do the work.

By the way, I will have to make your recipe, too, though I think I'm going to use chicken breasts (since I just bought a 5 pound pack, and I don't want to grind all of it). The filling should work the same way as it does with the pork, and keep the moisture in. :okay:
 
Last edited:
detroitdad said:
We love the "cilantro" flavor. I'm thinking of doing a basil/cilantro pesto to stuff in the pork chops.
Click to expand...
You could just use cilantro in place of basil. Walnuts are fine as a sub for pine nuts but they can taste a little bitter (its the brown skin). Just taste all the way to make sure.
 
Decided to go with roasted sunflower seeds for my version of pesto.

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detroitdad said:
Pesto

Ingredients
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Click to expand...


I hit the local grocery store on SAT. morning. I couldn't find any fresh basil that looked worth buying. I remembered @Frizz1974 thread on his kale pesto. I figured why not. I substituted the basil with half kale and half cilantro. I used roasted sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts. I used fresh parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

It was fantastic. I fed my oldest daughter, son, and wife. They all loved it. My daughter exclaimed that she "loved my new hobby" :)
 
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