This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Smithfield® Fresh Pork. The opinions and text are all mine.
Fire up your grill, summer is here! Make your first grilled meal of the season easy Grilled Pork Chops. But not just any chops on the grill… stuffed pork chops.
What's In This Article
Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops are an easy grilled pork chop recipe. Herb marinated pork is stuffed with bread crumbs, herbs and Parmesan cheese and grilled to flavorful perfection in just 15 minutes!
Is it just me or did it seem like winter lasted ridiculously long this year? In fact, today was the first day it really felt like summer, only there was no spring. It went from cold to hot overnight. Literally.
Make sure you PIN Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops before leaving!
Even though we grill year-round, summer heat has me craving delicious grilled meals. We love hanging around the deck and chatting about our day while we prepare dinner together, but we also like taking our daughter for a nice long walk, so quick meals are key.
PRO TIP: Soak your toothpicks in water for about 30 minutes before using them to secure your meat. They are less likely to catch on fire.
Enter Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork! In my opinion, Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork is a kitchen essential. I always keep a few packages in my freezer for flavorful, easy meals.
Whether I just want to grill it up and serve it with a salad or get fancy and make a stuffed pork chop recipe, they provide consistently delicious and tender marinated pork.
Championship Pitmasters even prefer Smithfield both in competition and home, so you know it has to be good.
For my Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops, I used Roasted Herb and Garlic Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops. They come in packages of 4, but are individually wrapped and sealed, so I can make just 2 if it is just my family, but easily increase it to 4 or more when we entertain.
The pork is already marinated, so it takes a ton of time out of my meal prep. It takes me less than 5 minutes to prepare what I call a crunch pocket, a simple bread crumb stuffing popping with herbs, garlic and Parmesan cheese.
Seal them shut with toothpicks and less than 15 minutes later, dinner is served!
Check out even more easy pork recipes:
- Crispy Pork Tacos
- Teriyaki Pork Kabobs
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Spice Rubbed Pork Chops
- Crock Pot Hawaiian Pork Loin
Tools for making this stuffed pork chop recipe:
Grilling Tools
– You’ll need some grilling tools if you plan to grill!
Wood cutting board – wood won’t dull your knives like plastic and if treated properly, has natural antimicrobial properties.
Mixing Bowls– make sure to check out my article on Using the Right Mixing Bowl, you’d be surprised how many people aren’t!
Questions you might have about how to make grilled pork chops:
I don’t have this type of pre marinated pork chop, can I use fresh? Sure! They will be flavorful just with the stuffing. I would suggest making sure you have thick pork chops. The thicker they are, the easier it is to make a pocket! Aim for at least an inch thick.
I want to use a different marinade, what do you suggest? Any flavor that floats your boat. The stuffing mixture is so verstile that you can literally use any marinade, even an Asian dressing. However, my favorite is a simple lemon pepper or bottled Italian dressing.
Can I make stuffed pork chops in advance? Sure! Go ahead and stuff them up to a few hours in advance. Just store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill.
What should I serve with my grilled pork chops? Here are a few of my favorite grilling side dishes:
- Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
- Cowboy Homemade Baked Beans
- Asiago Asparagus
- Southern Fried Corn
- Herb Grilled Potatoes
Can you freeze stuffed pork chops? I wouldn’t suggest freezing them while raw purely because they do have dairy and this combined with the raw meat leaves a lot of potential for bacteria. The bread crumbs will also not be nearly as crunchy.
What temperture should stuffed pork chops be? Like any pork, use a meat thermometer
and aim for 145 degrees internal temperature.
Can I use a bone in pork chop? You can, but I highly recommend using a boneless pork chop.
Can I stuff a whole pork loin? if you stuff a whole pork loin, butterfly it down the center, add the stuffing and instead of toothpicks, use cooking twine
to roll it back up and secure it. You can grill it or throw it in a baking dish and into the oven for an easy dinner with hands off! Cooking time with vary depending on the size of your roast.
Can I use olive oil instead of butter? Feel free to substitute olive oil for butter.
Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops
Ingredients
Pork Chops:
- 4 boneless center cut pork chops , at least 1-2 inch thickness
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt , divided
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Pork Chop Filling:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted
- 2 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Toothpicks
- Parsley , chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a large mixing bowl halfway with water and stir in the 2 teaspoons of the salt until nearly dissolved. Add the pork chops and more water, if needed, until they are submerged. Place in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours to brine.
- Remove the pork chops from the brine, discarding the liquid, and pay dry.
- In a small bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Sprinkle each pork chop with the seasoning.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Soak 16 toothpicks in water.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika and black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Lay each pork chop on its side and using a very sharp knife, cut a slit in the side, being careful to not cut all the way through, making a pocket for the stuffing.
- Stuff each pork chop with equal parts breads crumb mixture. Secure with the toothpicks.
- Grill the pork chops over indirect heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145°F.
- Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with additional grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
I used the ingredients in this to double cover chicken cutlets because I didnt have pork chops and the cutlets I had were too thin to stuff. My husband absolutely loved it! It was soooooo flavorful! I will definitely be making this again, thank you!
I’m absolutely sure this will be a 5* dish! I plan to make these next week on Valentine’s Day, along with asparagus bundles & twice baked potatoes. Thanks SO much for this lovely recipe!
That sounds delicious! You let me know if there is an empty seat at your table, LOL.
Goodness stuffed inside a pork chop? Yes please! These sound fantastic… must try soon!
Oh, yes! What is not to love?
So excited for grilling season! My dad loves pork chops so these will definitely be on the menu all summer!
Me too! Although we are those crazy people that grill in freezing cold weather too. LOL.
O God! What a great recipe! I want to try it immediately! Looks very tasty! I like all the ingredients in it. This is perfect for me. thank you.
It is delicious! Let us know how you like it!
Looks sooo delicious and would make a perfect dish for hosting! I love pork chops!
Perfect for entertaining, I agree. Stuff them ahead of time and then throw them on the grill. So easy.
Yum! I loved eating pork chops growing up, so I could only imagine how delicious they are stuffed!
So good!