Pork Stuffed Artichokes
My mother-in-law, Marie, is an incredible cook. That means my husband has eaten the very best that Italian cuisine has to offer… except for Pork-Stuffed Artichokes. He’d never tried one until he met me. I’m proud to say that today, Billy absolutely loves this dish!
On top of being completely delicious, these homemade stuffed artichokes are also fun to eat. Each leaf is covered with seasoned ground pork, so you just pull a leaf off and enjoy the next bite! This is one of those times you have to really get in there with your hands.
My Pork-Stuffed Artichoke recipe is a nice departure from your typical stuffed artichoke, which is usually filled with seasoned breadcrumbs. The finished product is very pretty, so they present well too!
Is it hard to cook artichokes?
Artichokes tend to be a bit intimidating for novice cooks—but don’t let their appearance deter you from giving them a try. Artichokes are not that hard to cook. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll love having some artichoke recipes in your back pocket.
How to Pick the Best Artichoke for Stuffed Artichokes
For this recipe, you want to select a nice, plump globe artichoke. I prefer to use my artichokes the same day I buy them. When you’re in the market wondering how to pick the best artichoke, here’s what to look for: A good artichoke will have tightly-packed, bright green leaves and it will make a tiny squeak sound when you squeeze it. It should feel pretty firm, not squishy. Pick up several different artichokes to get a feel for this one—the best artichokes are heavier for their size.
How to Prepare Artichokes for Your Stuffed Artichoke Recipe
The artichokes get a quick blanch before they are prepped for stuffing. This softens up the leaves and makes it easier to remove the inside chock or thistles. I like to add a cut fresh lemon to the water. The citrus juice helps keep the artichokes from darkening in color.
Making the Best-Ever Stuffed Artichokes At Home
Artichokes may be the main ingredient in this recipe, but they are far from the only ingredient. The other ingredients you use make a huge difference, so I always recommend going for the good stuff.
My favorite tomatoes to use for this recipe are San Marzano’s canned tomatoes. These are a type of plum tomato, but with fewer seeds, less sodium, and a far better taste than traditional canned tomatoes. These special little gems are grown in a specific region of Italy in volcanic soil and then hand-harvested when they are ripe. A star-shaped D.O.P. (Demoninazione d’Origine Protteta) certification symbol on the can signifies that your San Marzano tomatoes are authentic. Look for the star!
One more note: I insist that you use fresh herbs on this one! They are going to give you such a delicious flavor that, in my opinion, dried herbs just can’t compete with.
Pork-Stuffed Artichoke Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large globe artichokes
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- 1 (14 ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, remove the stems of the artichokes. Use your finger to remove the first layer of tough outer leaves from each artichoke. Discard these leaves. Using a scissors, snip the sharp tips off the leaves, about ⅛-inch down from the tip. Rinse the artichokes under cool water and set aside.
- In a large stock pot, heat enough water to cover the artichokes. Add the lemon quarters. When water is boiling, add the artichokes. Place a heat-resistant plate (one that fits inside the pan) on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pot and remove the plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove the artichokes and place them on a cutting board to cool. When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, use a melon baller or teaspoon to scrape out the hairy choke from the center. Pull away any of the small, pale inner leaves.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the pork and cook until it’s almost cooked through. Drain off any excess fat. Add the shallots to the pork and cook until the pork begins to brown lightly and the shallots become translucent. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Let cool slightly. Stir in the parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and cheese.
- Use your fingers to fill the cavities of each artichoke with the filling, gently packing it in. Place the artichokes in a deep dish that is just large enough to hold them snuggly.
- If you haven’t purchased crushed tomatoes, place the tomatoes, with their juice, in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to coarsely crush the tomatoes. If you got crushed tomatoes, go ahead and skip this step.
- Pour the tomatoes, along with their juice, on top of and around the artichokes. Cover with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking process, check to see if the bottom of the pan is dry. If it is, add a little water to the pan and place foil back on.
- Remove the pan from the oven and use tongs to carefully transfer the artichokes into individual bowls or onto a large serving platter. Time to eat!