We had some leftover pumpkin and cheddar mixture from our Pumpkin Cheddar Ravioli with Honey Cranberry Cream Sauce, and we wanted to find a fun way to use it. For this meal, we still used it as a filling, but instead of pasta, we used pork! This would make for a great meal for a brisk autumn day.
We served this with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Baby Potatoes. However, we think that Butter Cabbage would be a winner as a side dish as well.
Time: 45 Minutes (more if prepping fresh pumpkin from scratch)
Ingredients:
- Boneless Pork Loin Chops
- Pumpkin (Fresh or Canned)
- Shredded Cheddar (We used Goat Cheddar)
- Black Pepper
- Optional: A little chipotle chili powder
Method:
- Prep your pumpkin:
- If using fresh pumpkin:
- Cut your pumpkin open, scoop out the seeds, and cut into chunks. (Check out the Pumpkin part of This Recipe for additional pumpkin processing information)
- Boil until soft.
- Mash, and let cool.
- If using canned pumpkin, scoop some from the can into a bowl.
- If using fresh pumpkin:
- Mix your shredded pumpkin and cheddar together, and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Hold your boneless pork loin chops upright, so that the long side with the fat is facing your cutting board. Then, carefully cut a slit in the top, and work your knife to hollow out a cavity in your pork.
- Scoop your pumpkin, and stuff into your pork so it overflows nicely. Do this with all of your pork.
- Sidenote: we had too much filling, so we used one spoonful to stuff one of our porks, washed our hands, and used a clean spoon to scoop and stuff the other. That prevented cross-contamination and allowed us to use the rest of the pumpkin later for another meal (omelet).
- Heat a cast iron pan with a little butter or olive oil, and when it’s hot, add your pork upright, and sear for about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer your pan to the oven, and roast for about 35 minutes until your pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145-150 degrees F.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
