Sheet Pan Pear-Stuffed Pork Chops

We’re fans of fall’s second favorite fruit, pears, so we opted to pair them with pork. But if you’re a traditionalist, apples will work in this recipe, too.

Makes 4 servings Total time: 1 hour

BAKE:

6

CUT:

4

COMBINE:

1

1/2

2

1

8

1

3

3/4 strips bacon

bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick (2–3 lb.)

Bartlett pear, peeled, cored, and diced cup crumbled blue cheese Tbsp. diced shallots

Salt and black pepper to taste lb. baby red or yellow potatoes, halved oz. green beans cup chopped red onions Tbsp. Dijon cup grape tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425°.

Bake bacon on a baking sheet until crisp; transfer to a papertowel-lined-plate and reserve

1/4 cup drippings. Chop 2 strips bacon for filling and 4 strips for topping chops and vegetables.

Cut a 3-inch-long slit on the side of each chop, inserting the knife blade into, but not through, the other side. Keeping blade parallel to cutting board, carefully sweep it back and forth to enlarge pockets. Arrange chops on a baking sheet.

Combine pear, 2 strips chopped bacon, cheese, and shallots.

Divide pear filling among pockets. Brush tops of chops with 1 Tbsp. drippings; season with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes, green beans, onions, and Dijon with remaining

3 Tbsp. drippings; season with salt and pepper, then arrange around chops.

Roast chops and vegetables

20 minutes.

Heat broiler to high with rack

6 inches from element.

Add tomatoes and remaining 4 strips chopped bacon to baking sheet.

Broil chops and vegetables until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chops, but not touching bone, registers 145°, 5–6 minutes.

Per serving: 995 cal; 54g total fat (20g sat); 251mg chol;

1029mg sodium; 38g carb (6g fiber, 10g total sugars);

89g protein

HEAT SHEET AND EAT

SHEET PAN DINNERS ARE ALL THE RAGE AND CUISINE LOOKED AT BAKING SHEETS TO SEE WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY ALL PAN OUT.

Whether it’s a chicken dinner or cookies, baking sheets are indispensable in any kitchen. In the Cuisine Test Kitchens they get workouts every day. This issue we’re looking at what you should consider when purchasing a baking sheet, aka a sheet pan.

The criteria for review were highly-rated half sheet pan sets (about 18×13 inches) with two pieces — the pan, plus usually, but not always, a cooling rack or silicone pan liner — and if the qualities of the pan justify the price.

First consideration is the material; aluminum and aluminized steel are the best for quick heating. The drawback with aluminum pans is that dishwasher detergents are damaging to the finish. Nonstick pans use various materials for their surfaces, but they are easiest to clean, without a doubt.

Sheet pans are oven bound; if it’s a roast, galette, or wicked good cookies, you want to be assured they don’t warp in high heat. Stainless steel with a high-chrome mirrorsurface looks really pretty and would be essential in any kitchen that’s used, since they warp and are difficult to clean.

Cuisine tested how evenly they roasted and baked a variety of ingredients. One way was by loading them up with cookies. (Yes, it does become work after about the fifth batch!) By checking the tops and bottoms of the cookies, we found that some pans baked beautifully even. But it wasn’t uncommon for half the cookies to be darker on one side or the other.

A less obvious factor we looked at was how quickly the pan cooled when it came out of the oven. Did the pan’s radiant heat carry the perfectly baked cookies over to a little more done than intended?

Finally, what points of difference made one brand more competitive than the others? Here are four of our favorites.