PORK AND APPLE STUFFING BAKE

This recipe mixes the classic pork and apples for a filling comfort meal at a reasonable price.  Although any recipe with apples seems like a fall-time meal, I really do enjoy this in the summer if it is not too hot to turn on the oven.  This recipe cooks at a low oven temperature which increases cooking time.  You can increase the oven temperature to decrease cooking time, but cooking pork slowly helps keep the pork moist and tender.

What You Need

9 x 13 x 2 baking pan, well- greased
One 6 oz. Box of Pork-Flavored Stuffing Mix
1 ¾ cups Apple Juice
1 Green Granny Smith Apple, sliced very thin
1 lb. Pork Shoulder Steaks (2 pork steaks are approx. 1 lb.) - see note
1 Tsp. Rubbed Sage
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
¼ Tsp. Black Pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325^o
Mix together the sage, thyme and pepper and rub into each side of each pork steak
Sear pork steaks in hot skillet about 1 minutes per side
Spread dried stuffing mix evenly across bottom of your well-greased 9 x 13 pan
Peel apple and slice thin enough to get at least 20 slices
Place apple slices on top of dried stuffing mix
Once oven is pre-heated, pour 1 2/3 cups apple juice over stuffing and apples
Place browned pork shoulder steaks on top
Cover baking pan with foil.

Cooking

Bake covered at 325^o for 25 minutes.  After 25 minutes, stir stuffing mix and turn pork over, recover pan and cook another 20 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove foil and serve.

Makes 4 servings

There is more than enough room in the 9 x 13 pan to fit more than 2 pork shoulder steaks if you need to feed more than 4 people.

Note:  You can choose to use pork chops instead of pork shoulder steaks.  I use shoulder steaks because they are less expensive and this blog is about low cost cooking.  One pork shoulder steak should feed two people depending of course on the individual’s appetite.  If you do choose to use pork chops, make sure they are no more than 1/2 inch thick.