Sous Vide Apple and Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

Sous Vide Stuffed Pork Loin

Get your sous vide pot out, fill it with water and add the sous vide. Turn the temperature to 137F.

Shred (or chop) your apple. Dice the onion and celery. Cut up the sage. Set everything to the side.

Get your "THICK" pork loin out and stand it on end. Carefully take your sharp knife and pierce the side of the loin, push the knife about 2/3 of the way into the loin, then increase the size of the incision to approximately 2 inches. While you're still carefully holding the knife, rock the blade back and forth creating a deep/wide pocket in the loin chop. Be careful not to butterfly the pork or create a hole that will allow all the juicy wonderfulness escape.

Set off to the side.

Heat up your frying pan on a medium low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter has melted down add your diced celery and onion. Cook on the medium low heat until they're translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Add the apples and sage. Cook for an additional 2-4 minutes and then add the cranberries. Mix it all up, turn the heat off and set to the side.

Pour your bread crumbs into a medium sized dish. Chop up the remaining butter (4-5 tablespoons) then add that to the bread crumbs. Add vegetable stock and salt and pepper. Mix everything up (don't tell anyone, but I use my hands for this) then add the celery, apple and cranberry mixture. The stuffing should have the consistency of a damp (not soggy) bread.

Taste it now to make sure its exactly how you like it. Add salt & pepper, maybe some apple juice or additional stock. Whatever makes your tastebuds giggle.

Take small scoops of the stuffing and fill up your pork loin chops. Make sure that you really push the stuffing into all the corners. When you're done those babies should look like they're expecting babies of their own.

Put no more than 2 chops into the bag you're going to vacuum seal. You don't want overcrowding going on because it will take the pork longer too cook.

Take your 'stuffed', vacuum sealed bags and drop them into the pre-heated water. When it comes up to temperature again start the count down. Since these are really thick, now even thicker pork loin chops they need to cook in the water for 2 or more hours. Don't worry if you put them in and forget about them for 3 or 4 hours, because they're never going to over cook. Ahh, the beauty of Sous Vide.

Now that the pork is cooked through, remove the bags from the water. Cut them open and using tongs grab the pork and place on a cutting board or a plate. Using a paper towel dry the pork on both sides, then add salt and pepper.

Heat a skillet to a medium high, add the olive oil and butter. Gently place one or two of the pork loins into the hot oil/butter, putting the seasoned side down first. Be sure to wear protective gear like an apron or an old shirt you don't care about because you're likely to get little pops of oil and butter as the meat starts to brown.

When the pan releases the meat it's brown. Flip it over and repeat. While you're cooking the other side, spoon some of the oil & butter over the top. When it's as brown as you want it, remove from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before you dig in.