Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops (1- 1 1/4" thick)

Marinade

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 2 Tablespoons rosemary, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Stuffing

• 4 oz pancetta, cubed
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons rosemary, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish.
2. Combine all marinade ingredients in a zip top bag. Add chops and marinate for as long as you can up to 6 hours. Even 15 minutes in the marinade makes a difference.
3. In a large skillet, saute pancetta and onion in a Tablespoons of olive oil until the pancetta starts to crips. Add rosemary, garlic and breadcrumbs. Sauté for another 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
4. Remove chops from marinade. Spoon 1/4 of the stuffing into each pocket of each chop. Use your fingers to make the pocket bigger if necessary.
5. Place stuffed chops into prepared baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes depending on how thick your chops are. You can test the temperature by using an instant read thermometer inserted into the meat closest to the bone, but not touching the bone or inserted into the stuffing. You want a temperature of 155 degrees.
6. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with a side of buttered peas, roasted brussels sprouts or salad.

Source:https://theresalwayspizza.com/pancetta-stuffed-pork-chops/