• 2 boneless pork chops, 6 oz each
• 1 roasted poblano pepper, diced
• olive oil

Brine

• 2 tbsp salt
• 4 cups of cold water

Stuffing

• ¼ cup cheddar (or Monterey Jack) cheese, cut into small cubes
• salt & pepper to taste

Special Equipment

• internal meat thermometer
• tongs

Roast Pepper

1. Grasp pepper with metal tongs and hold over high flame on stove top
2. Roast pepper 2-3 minutes, rotating to blacken all sides
3. When finished roasting, wrap pepper in a towel and rub off just the outer blackened skin

Brine Pork Chops

1. In a medium-sized container, dissolve salt in water. Place pork chops in the brine and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour
2. After the pork chops have brined, remove from water and pat dry with paper towels
3. Lay out your pork chops on a clean plate to allow them to come up to room temperature

Add Stuffing & Cook Pork Chops

1. Mix stuffing ingredients, and set aside
2. Using a small paring knife, make a small incision in the side of the pork chop, pushing the blade into the center of the pork chop. Create a center cavity, sweeping the blade inside the pork chop, while keeping the “mouth” of the cavity as small as possible
3. Stuff about 1 tbsp of the filling per pork chop inside the cavities
4. Rub the outside of the pork chops with oil and season with salt
5. Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat until hot, to the point at which water dropped on the surface sizzles and steams
6. Place chops in the pan, searing them on each side until the outside is medium brown, about 5-7 minutes per side. Check the internal temperature until it registers 145°F in the coldest area of the chop (the center). Once this temperature is reached, remove the pan immediately, and let chops rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes
7. To serve, slice the pork chops to reveal the center and serve atop Jeff's Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Jeff's Time & Temperature Tutorial

"Wait, 145°F / 62.8? Don’t you mean 165°F / 73.9°C? Good question; glad you asked. Trichinosis—a parasitic infection from roundworm—has historically been a concern in “undercooked” pork, but this is no longer the case. At 140°F / 60°C, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations requires commercial processors to hold pork for one minute. Still, to be safe, give yourself at least a 5°F / 2°C error window. Leave the temperature probe in and check that the temperature remains at or above 145°F / 62.8°C for at least one minute. If you see the temperature drop down, transfer back to the pan as necessary. The pan itself should have enough residual heat to keep it at 145°F / 62.8°C."