A while back we visited Wisconsin and son-in-law Mark grilled us some bacon wrapped stuffed pork chops for dinner. They were great and I left wanting to not just replicate the butcher’s recipe, but add some tricks I learned over the years related to the chops and vegetables that were stuffed inside. After much experimentation, I came up with something worthy of being on this “best of” blog.
From the outside in, it starts with a thin bacon that will crisp up on the grill at the same pace that the pork chops cook. We then have to brine the chops to make them both delicious and juicy, rather then drying them out on the grill. Lastly, the mushroom, onion and tomato mix requires some pre-grill roasting to add a little caramelization, and make them the best they can be.
If you do all this, in advance of your actual cookout, and wrap up the entire porkchop with the bacon, you will be rewarded with amazing reviews from your cookout guests.
”BaconPorkChops”
4 Thick Large Boneless Pork Chops (Or 8 Thin Chops)
8 Full Slices of Thin Bacon
Pork Chop Brine
4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Sprig of Fresh Basil (About4 leaves)
1 Sprig Fresh Oregano
2 Smashed Garlic Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Mushroom, Tomato and Onion
4 Large Portabella Mushroom Caps
4 Large Sweet Onion Slices
4 Large Tomato Slices
Vegetable Seasoning
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Melted Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Dry White Wine
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Basil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Directions
- Mix brine ingredients together in a large pan.
- Bring to a boil and then let cool.
- Butterfly pork chops, leaving enough meat to form a pocket.
- Leave pork chops in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but not more than 2 hours.
- Remove the chops from the brine and discard the brine.
- Wash the chops under cold water to rinse off the brine.
- Turn on oven to 400 degrees.
- Put all vegetable seasoning in a large bowl, and mix.
- Coat the vegetable with the seasoning mix and place on a cooking sheet.
- Roast on the top shelf at 400 degrees for just 5 minutes. (A slight char or caramelization is desired.)
- Let the vegetables cool and layer them in the pork chops, or place them between the thin chops.
- Soak some chef twine in water..
- Tightly wrap the thin bacon around the pork chops in a cross pattern.
- Then use chefs twine, soaked in water, and wrap the entire chop.
- You can then either refrigerate or freeze the chops for later or take them straight to the grill.
