Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops with blue cheese – thick cut, juicy pork chops cooked to perfection and loaded with an incredible apple, bacon and blue cheese stuffing.
Stuffed pork chops
These stuffed pork chops are the perfect fusion of flavors. Pork and apples are an ideal pairing, they go together like peanut butter and jelly, or fish and chips – they just make sense together.
Now, picture thick and juicy, perfectly caramelized pork chops loaded with those beautiful, crisp apples – elevate that by adding bacon and blue cheese, and we’ve created one exquisite dinner that will both impress, and satisfy.
Ingredients
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!
- Pork Chops – I used pork loin chops, but bone in pork chops would work just as well – just make sure that whatever pork chops you use, that they are cut pretty thick, about an inch.
- Shallot – Large, chopped.
- Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
- Apple – Peeled & cored, sliced small.
- Bacon – Chopped.
- Blue Cheese – Crumbled.
- Rosemary – Fresh, chopped.
- Salt & Pepper – To taste.
How to make stuffed pork chops
- Preheat Oven – Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- Season Pork Chops – Cut a pocket in each pork chop. Season each pork chop with salt, pepper and rub them with the rosemary. Set aside.
- Cook Bacon – Cook bacon in a large ovenproof skillet. Reserve 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet, and another tbsp for later, discard the rest.
- Make Stuffing – Add the shallot and apple to the skillet with the and fry until apple softens. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Turn off heat, add blue cheese to skillet and stir.
- Stuff Pork Chops – Spoon stuffing into each pork chop envelope.
- Cook – Add remaining bacon fat to skillet and heat. Place pork chops in skillet and cook on each side until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or the chops reach an internal temperature of 150°F or 65°C with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a pork chop. Serve.
How to stuff pork chops
Again, reiterating – make sure that your pork chops are cut pretty thick, about an inch so that we can load them full of that amazing stuffing!
Cut a small pocket inside each pork chop using a sharp knife – make sure you don’t cut yourself. Don’t be afraid to stuff those puppies nice and full with the stuffing mixture (about 1/2 cup in each). It won’t matter if your stuffing sticks out, we want these chops to be fully LOADED.
What to serve with stuffed pork chops
I love serving my chops with a good starch and veg. Potatoes – mashed, roasted, baked or fried are an ideal choice! I’ve created a list of great side dish options to serve up with your pork chops!
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
- Red Wine Mushrooms
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Skillet Green Beans
- Cauliflower Rice
- Thyme Skillet Potatoes
- Harvest Rice
- Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies
- Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
Make ahead
You can prep and stuff your pork chops the night before cooking – just store them covered in the fridge. Another option is keeping your pre-stuffed chops in the freezer, they should last for up to 4-6 months when properly stored.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the coldest part of the fridge. Your leftover pork chops will keep for 4-5 days. Well-wrapped leftovers can be kept in the freezer for up to three months. Pork chops should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature due to bacteria growth.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Looking for more Recipes like this? Try these:
- Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
- Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Pan Seared Pork Chops with Gravy
- Korean Style Pork Chops
- Balsamic Pork Loin
- Italian Breaded Pork Chops
- Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops with Rosemary
- Easy Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork
- Pork Chops with Pistachio Salmuera
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Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 large shallot chopped
- 1 apple peeled cored and sliced small
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- Season Pork Chops: Cut a pocket in each pork chop. Season each pork chop with salt, pepper and rub them with the rosemary. Set aside.
- Cook Bacon: Cook bacon in a large ovenproof skillet. Reserve 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet, and another tbsp for later, discard the rest.
- Make Stuffing: Add the shallot and apple to the skillet with the and fry until apple softens. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Turn off heat, add blue cheese to skillet and stir.
- Stuff Pork Chops: Spoon stuffing into each pork chop envelope.
- Cook: Add remaining bacon fat to skillet and heat. Place pork chops in skillet and cook on each side until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or the chops reach an internal temperature of 150°F or 65°C with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a pork chop.
Recipe Notes
- You can prep and stuff your pork chops the night before cooking – just store them covered in the fridge. Another option is keeping your pre-stuffed chops in the freezer, they should last for up to 4-6 months when properly stored.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the coldest part of the fridge. Your leftover pork chops will keep for 4-5 days.
Followed recipe exactly as I always do the first time. Both the wife and I found it easy and tasty. Served with asparagus which we love. Next time will add a stronger apple (used gala) to better balance the blue cheese and I might use a titch less of that. The comment about walnut intrigues me; may try it, heavily crushed, however. Will add to the recipe box. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
My pleasure, glad you liked it!
Hello, I look forward to making this recipe and I love blue cheese, however a few of my guests do not. What cheese replacement would you recommend?
If you don’t like blue cheese you can use just plain feta cheese, or even other cheeses you may like, like asiago, sharp cheddar, etc.
My husband and I occasionally pick a recipe to make together and both of us loved everything about this one!! The chops turned out perfectly and it was easy enough that we can even do for a weeknight, but also can’t wait to make this for company!! They’ll think we spent HOURS preparing. Yum!!
So glad you liked them!
This could not have been easier or tastier. Absolutely company worthy but as a weekday dinner my husband felt absolutely spoiled!
Hello! I’m wondering what kind of apple would be best for this recipe?
A sweeter apple would work best, such as Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp.
Hi Jo, What do you mean by slice small when you refer to the apple? Do you mean to slice it thinly? I’m sorry to such stupid, but I’ve never heard the term to “slice small” and I even looked it up and couldn’t find an answer. This recipe looks divine and I’d like to make it soon.
Well actually as small as you’d like, but I cut them into 1/2 inch pieces.
Has anyone tried this without the cheese? Any good substitutes? Unfortunately I’ve got one baby bird that can’t do dairy.
I came across your recipe when I was searching for pork chop/loin recipe and I am glad I did. My whole family loved it! It will definitely be on my rotation.
One thing I wanted to add is I think the word “bacon” may be missing in your step 4. I assumed it was the skillet with the bacon to which I add the shallot and apples..
I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes, like the Firecracker Shrimp!
Thank you for sharing
Absolutely delicious. Easy to make as well.
Apples, bacon….stuffed in a pork chop……what’s not to love???!!!!
We loved this recipe. I had never stuffed pork chops before and there is definitely a bit of a learning curve. Husband and I both thought that stuffing would work well with some chopped walnuts. I think that both the texture and flavor profile would work nicely. We served with a roasted delicata with cinnamon and paprika on the first real autumn feeling day. Ahhhhhh! Perfection.
OH. My. Gosh. This was INCREDIBLE! And so very easy. My husband was impressed and thought I had spent hours cooking. Bless his heart! Haha I have been cokking a lot of your recipes lately and we have loved every single one. Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear this. 🙂