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Created by Chef Remy
Thick bone-in pork chops butterflied and packed with savory dirty rice, seared in cast iron until golden and finished in the oven, the kind of Sunday supper that brings the whole family to the table before you even call them.
Astuffed pork chop is country cooking at its finest. You take an honest cut of meat, fill it with something delicious, and cook it with care. That's the bayou way.
My grandmother Evangeline made these on Sundays when we had company coming. She'd butterfly the chops in the morning, stuff them with whatever leftover rice dressing she had, then let them sit in the icebox until suppertime. The seasoning worked into the meat, the flavors married, and when those chops hit the hot cast iron, the whole house knew dinner was happening.
The dirty rice dressing is what makes this dish sing. Chicken livers give it that mineral richness, the holy trinity builds the aromatic base, and the Cajun seasoning ties everything together. You're not just stuffing a pork chop. You're putting one Louisiana tradition inside another. At Lagniappe, this dish has been on the menu since we opened our doors. Folks drive across the parish for it.
Season in layers. That means seasoning the meat inside and out, seasoning the dressing as it cooks, tasting and adjusting along the way. By the time this chop reaches your plate, every bite should be perfectly flavored from edge to center. That's the difference between home cooking and great home cooking.
Quantity
4
1 1/2 inches thick
Quantity
2 tablespoons
divided
Quantity
1/2 pound
trimmed and finely chopped
Quantity
1/4 pound
Quantity
1 medium
finely diced
Quantity
1 stalk
finely diced
Quantity
1/2
finely diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
Quantity
1/2 cup
for dirty rice
Quantity
3
sliced thin, whites and greens separated
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
3 tablespoons
divided
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1/2 cup
for deglazing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| bone-in center-cut pork chops1 1/2 inches thick | 4 |
| Cajun seasoningdivided | 2 tablespoons |
| chicken liverstrimmed and finely chopped | 1/2 pound |
| ground pork | 1/4 pound |
| yellow onionfinely diced | 1 medium |
| celeryfinely diced | 1 stalk |
| green bell pepperfinely diced | 1/2 |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| cooked long-grain white rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| chicken stockfor dirty rice | 1/2 cup |
| green onionssliced thin, whites and greens separated | 3 |
| fresh parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh thyme leaves | 1 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| vegetable oildivided | 3 tablespoons |
| unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| chicken stockfor deglazing | 1/2 cup |
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke. Add the chicken livers and ground pork, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook hard, stirring occasionally, until the meat is deeply browned and the liver is cooked through, about six to eight minutes. The fond building on the bottom of the pan is pure flavor. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the fond from the meat, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent and sweet, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and green onion whites, cooking until fragrant, about one minute more. The kitchen should smell like Louisiana by now.
Add one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, the cayenne, salt, and black pepper to the vegetables. Stir for thirty seconds until the spices bloom and coat everything. Return the liver and pork to the skillet. Add the cooked rice and chicken stock, stirring to combine. The rice should absorb the stock and take on that characteristic dirty color. Taste it. Adjust salt and heat. Fold in the parsley, thyme, and green onion tops. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Wipe out the skillet and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife held parallel to your cutting board, slice into each pork chop horizontally from the fat side toward the bone, creating a deep pocket. Stop about half an inch from the edge. You want a hinge, not two separate pieces. Season the chops generously inside and out with the remaining tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. This is layering flavor. The seasoning on the outside creates the crust; the seasoning inside perfumes the meat as it cooks.
Divide the cooled dirty rice dressing among the four chops, packing about a half cup into each pocket. Don't be shy. Press firmly to compact the filling, then press the edges of the meat together. The chop should look plump and proud. Secure with two or three toothpicks if you're worried about them opening during cooking, though a good sear usually seals them fine.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the stuffed chops and let them cook undisturbed for four minutes. Resist the urge to peek or move them. You're building a crust. When you lift an edge and see deep golden brown, flip carefully with tongs. Sear the second side for another three to four minutes until equally beautiful.
Transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not the stuffing) reads 145 degrees, about fifteen to twenty minutes depending on thickness. The internal temperature will rise another five degrees as it rests. Remove from oven and transfer chops to a cutting board. Let them rest for five minutes. This is not optional. Cutting too soon spills all those juices onto the board instead of keeping them in the meat.
While the chops rest, place the skillet over medium heat. Add the half cup of chicken stock and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about two minutes. Remove from heat and swirl in the butter until it melts into a glossy, silky sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon this liquid gold over the plated chops. Remove toothpicks if you used them. Serve immediately.
1 serving (about 380g)
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