by Felicia - Stuffed Pork Loin
Pork loin is an inexpensive but delicious cut of meat. Brining and temping this pork loin ensures that it will be tender. The stuffing is easy and the ingredients can easily be substituted out for whatever you have on hand. This recipe uses potatoes and carrots to lift the roast off the pan’s bottom and make it an easy meal. Leave your potato pieces rather large, small potatoes cut into 4 pieces, a medium one cut into about 6 pieces, and so on, so they do not turn to mush. If you prefer to serve your roast with a different starch such as rice, just use a wire rack underneath your roast instead of the vegetables.
If this was on my menu at Revival, I’d name it:
STUFF PRETTY PORKS IN THE ROAD
STUFFED PORK LOIN
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Feeds: 4 - 8 people
For The Brine:
Water 4 cups
Salt ¼ cup
Brown Sugar ½ cup
Ginger 5 cm piece roughly
Mustard Seed 1 tbsp
Black Peppercorn1 tbsp
Bay Leaf 2
Smash your piece of ginger with the butt of your knife and then add all the above ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the salt and the sugar. Once simmering remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Take your pork loin and butterfly it by cutting it along the centre so that it opens up like a book. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Take a piece of saran wrap and cover the surface area of your loin. Now grab a meat mallet and evenly pound out your pork loin to increase the surface area.
Add the pork loin to your cooled brine and refrigerate. Allow a minimum of two hours and a maximum of overnight for your loin to sit in the brine. Remove from brine and pat dry.
For The Filling:
Garlic 4 cloves, minced.
Onion ½ onion, small diced
Pear 2 pears, small diced
Spinach 2 cups
Panko ⅓ cup
Cream Cheese 250 g package
Paprika1 tbsp
Thyme 1 tsp
Basil 1 tsp
Oregano 1 tsp
Saute garlic and onion in a pan until softened. Add pear and spinach and cook until spinach has wilted and the pear is beginning to caramelize on the surface. Add the spices and the cream cheese to the pan. Melt the cream cheese into the onion, garlic, pear, and spinach mixture until it is well combined, soft, and spreadable.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over your butterflied pork loin. Leave about 2 centimetres of room around the edges. Now roll your pork loin into a log and secure it with butcher’s twine
For Searing:
Salt 1 tbsp
Pepper 1 tbsp
Rosemary 1 tbsp
Thyme 1 tbsp
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the outside of your loin with the above spices and sear the loin on all sides. Set to the side to add to your roasting pan after your vegetables have been added.
For the Vegetables:
Potatoes 6 potatoes cut large chunks
Baby Carrots 12, cut in half if large
Onion 1 large dice
Garlic 6 Cloves cut in half
Olives Oil 1 tbsp
Parsley 1 tbsp
Thyme 1 tbsp
Rosemary 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Pepper 1 tsp
Paprika 1 tsp
White wine or broth ½ cup
Line your roasting pan with the above vegetables tossed in the oil and seasoning. Toss in the wine or broth and then add your pork loin and a lid. Roast until the pork loin reaches an internal temp of 145 F. About 45 mins - 1 hour. Your vegetables should be fork-tender. When temping make sure to temp through to the middle in the thickest part of your loin. Allow your loin to rest 10 minutes before cutting.