Apple and Cornbread-Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Apple Gravy
Courtesy of National Pork Board
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 Min.
Cook Time: 1 Hr. 15 Min.
Prep Time: 30 Min.
Cook Time: 1 Hr. 15 Min.
What you need:
* 4 lb. pork loin roast, boneless
* kosher salt
* black pepper, freshly ground
* 1 tsp. dried sage
* 3 medium apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1/2-in. slices
* 1/4 c. Calvados, OR apple brandy
* 1 1/4 c. homemade chicken stock, OR canned low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 c. apple juice, OR cider
* 1/4 c. heavy cream
Cornbread and Apple Stuffing:
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
* 1/2 c. smoked ham, finely chopped, OR diced smoked sausage
* 1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
* 1/4 c. celery, finely chopped
* kosher salt
* black pepper, freshly ground
* 3/4 c. apples, peeled and diced 1/4-in.
* 1/2 tsp. dried sage
* 1 1/2 c. homemade cornbread, crumbled and dried OR dried cornbread stuffing mix
* 1/4 c. apple juice
* kosher salt
* black pepper, freshly ground
* 1 tsp. dried sage
* 3 medium apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1/2-in. slices
* 1/4 c. Calvados, OR apple brandy
* 1 1/4 c. homemade chicken stock, OR canned low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 c. apple juice, OR cider
* 1/4 c. heavy cream
Cornbread and Apple Stuffing:
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
* 1/2 c. smoked ham, finely chopped, OR diced smoked sausage
* 1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
* 1/4 c. celery, finely chopped
* kosher salt
* black pepper, freshly ground
* 3/4 c. apples, peeled and diced 1/4-in.
* 1/2 tsp. dried sage
* 1 1/2 c. homemade cornbread, crumbled and dried OR dried cornbread stuffing mix
* 1/4 c. apple juice
What to do:
1. For stuffing, heat butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat; add ham or sausage and cook 3 min. Add onion, celery and a pinch each of salt and pepper; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are quite soft, about 10
min. Stir in diced apple and cook 1 min.
2. Transfer apple mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle with sage and stir in cornbread crumbs, apple juice and egg. The mixture should be moist but not wet. Add more apple juice if the mixture seems dry. Taste for
seasoning and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 450°F. To double butterfly the pork loin, lay the meat, fat-side down, on a work surface and make a horizontal lengthwise cut two-thirds of the way into the depth of the loin and about 1-in. from the long edge nearest you, taking care not to cut all the way through. Flip the loin over so that the cut you just made is opposite you. Make another lengthwise cut, again 1-in. from the edge. Open up the two cuts so you have a large rectangle of meat whose diameter is roughly 3 times the thickness of the meat. Place fat-side down and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a cleaver or a meat pounder, gently flatten the meat to an even thickness.
4. Remove plastic wrap and spread apple stuffing evenly over the meat, leaving a generous 3/4-in. border. Roll up meat jelly-roll style so that stuffing is in a spiral pattern. Tie rolled roast at 2-in. intervals with butcher's twine.
5. Combine 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and remaining sage and sprinkle over roast. Lay the sliced apples on the bottom of a roasting pan just a bit larger than the roast and set the roast, fat-side up, on the apples. Put roast in the oven and cook for
15 min., turn the oven down to 325° and roast for 45 min. Check the internal temperature of the roast with an instant-read thermometer: The roast is done when it reaches 145°. If it is not ready, continue to roast, checking the temperature every 10 min. When the roast is done, transfer it to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 10 min. while you make the sauce.
6. With a slotted spoon, transfer the apples in the roasting pan to a bowl and keep warm. Pour off any fat from the roasting pan, leaving the meat juices on the bottom. Put pan over medium-high heat, add Calvados and deglaze pan allowing the alcohol to burn off, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a small saucepan and add stock, apple juice and cream. Increase heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Simmer, stirring, until reduced by half. Taste for salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm while you carve the pork roast.
7, Remove twine from the roast and cut it into 1/2-in. thick slices. (If you cut the slices too thin, they will fall apart.) Arrange the pork on a serving platter. Spoon the sliced
apples around the meat and pour the sauce over all.
* Serving suggestion: "A full-flavored American Pale Ale is the perfect compromise between the meatiness of the pork and the rich fruitiness of the baked apples," says Aidells.
* Adapted from Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork, courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers.
* Recipe and photo courtesy of National Pork Board. For more recipes visit:
www.PorkBeInspired.com
min. Stir in diced apple and cook 1 min.
2. Transfer apple mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle with sage and stir in cornbread crumbs, apple juice and egg. The mixture should be moist but not wet. Add more apple juice if the mixture seems dry. Taste for
seasoning and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 450°F. To double butterfly the pork loin, lay the meat, fat-side down, on a work surface and make a horizontal lengthwise cut two-thirds of the way into the depth of the loin and about 1-in. from the long edge nearest you, taking care not to cut all the way through. Flip the loin over so that the cut you just made is opposite you. Make another lengthwise cut, again 1-in. from the edge. Open up the two cuts so you have a large rectangle of meat whose diameter is roughly 3 times the thickness of the meat. Place fat-side down and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a cleaver or a meat pounder, gently flatten the meat to an even thickness.
4. Remove plastic wrap and spread apple stuffing evenly over the meat, leaving a generous 3/4-in. border. Roll up meat jelly-roll style so that stuffing is in a spiral pattern. Tie rolled roast at 2-in. intervals with butcher's twine.
5. Combine 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and remaining sage and sprinkle over roast. Lay the sliced apples on the bottom of a roasting pan just a bit larger than the roast and set the roast, fat-side up, on the apples. Put roast in the oven and cook for
15 min., turn the oven down to 325° and roast for 45 min. Check the internal temperature of the roast with an instant-read thermometer: The roast is done when it reaches 145°. If it is not ready, continue to roast, checking the temperature every 10 min. When the roast is done, transfer it to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 10 min. while you make the sauce.
6. With a slotted spoon, transfer the apples in the roasting pan to a bowl and keep warm. Pour off any fat from the roasting pan, leaving the meat juices on the bottom. Put pan over medium-high heat, add Calvados and deglaze pan allowing the alcohol to burn off, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a small saucepan and add stock, apple juice and cream. Increase heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Simmer, stirring, until reduced by half. Taste for salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm while you carve the pork roast.
7, Remove twine from the roast and cut it into 1/2-in. thick slices. (If you cut the slices too thin, they will fall apart.) Arrange the pork on a serving platter. Spoon the sliced
apples around the meat and pour the sauce over all.
* Serving suggestion: "A full-flavored American Pale Ale is the perfect compromise between the meatiness of the pork and the rich fruitiness of the baked apples," says Aidells.
* Adapted from Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork, courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers.
* Recipe and photo courtesy of National Pork Board. For more recipes visit:
www.PorkBeInspired.com
Nutritional information:
Calories: 520; Total Fat: 23g; Saturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 180mg; Total Carbs: 21g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 50g; Sodium: 1024mg;