stuffed pork loin

The other day I was watching the Barefoot Contessa on Food Network. She was making a loin of pork with fennel and onion stuffing. I'm not really a fan of either onion or fennel so I contemplated a simpler substitute. I decided on Stove Top's Pork Stuffing. I really wanted to dice up an apple and add it to the stuffing, but someone ate all of the apples before I could get to them. I strongly suggest you do this. The sweetness of the apple just complements the flavors of the pork so well.

I made the stuffing first and set it aside. Then I butterflied the pork loin. Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, had her butcher butterfly the loin like a letter that you would open three ways. I mimicked this. It didn't come out near as neatly as hers was, but it worked. I laid out the loin fat side down on the cutting board then sprinkled some salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top. Also make sure you preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

At this point I starting spooning all the stuffing on top of the loin and spreading it out evenly. I then began to roll it up, making sure that the fat side ended up on top. You want to make sure you do this because that is where all the flavor is. Without it all you'll have is a bland piece of pork. You want it to cook down through the meat and flavor everything. You need to tie it up with kitchen string. I used three ties to make sure that everything stayed in place while it cooked.

Place the loin on a baking sheet (fat side up). Add a little bit of olive oil to the top and rub it around. Then add just a little more salt and pepper before putting it in the oven. Garten says you'll want to roast it for 30 minutes then lower the temp to 350 degrees and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes. She suggests using a meat thermometer to make sure that it heats to 137 degrees F. She also points out that you have to make sure the thermometer is not hitting the stuffing.

Once it is finished cooking, you'll want to let it rest for at least 15 minutes. My family never allows this stage. They were literally asking if it was finished 10 minutes after I put it into the oven. Very impatient group of individuals. The resting period allows the meat to absorb all of its juices. If you cut into it immediately, the juices just flow out and you're left with dry pork.

When you are ready to slice it, remove the strings, and slice carefully through so that you get a nice beautiful view of the stuffing inside and all your hard work. I served this with some garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. Totally forgot to pick out a veggie when I was at the store, so canned green beans it was. I would have loved some asparagus with it instead. My favorite!

Can't say this dish lasted long. Then again, they were asking every ten minutes. So when it was done, they attacked it. It was sheer luck I was able to take a picture for you guys. Hope you guys enjoy!

Merry Christmas!