Festive Herb Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

The holiday season is finally here, and after such a weird and often isolating year I am looking forward to visiting my family a bit more than usual.

For the past decade or so I have been appointed family chef at these big annual gatherings, and its a task I genuinely enjoy. It’s not often that I have the opportunity to go all out and prepare a big elaborate feast.

My go-to in these situations has traditionally been a whole roasted turkey with all the trimmings, but since there was virtually nothing typical about this year, I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try something a little different.

What is a Pork Loin Roast?

The pork loin runs along the back of the hog from the shoulder to the hip and contains all the central muscles between the backbone and ribs. It includes the prized tenderloin muscles as well as all the chops and a portion of the rib bones.

Basically its the most tender, juiciest cuts of pork all wrapped up together in one beautiful package.

You can purchase the whole loin or a half loin, which yields about 6-8 chops. The front half has what are referred to as the rib chops, and the rear half has the sirloin chops. Both are equally succulent, the main difference being the position of the bone.

What Else Do I Need?

Its a pretty short ingredient list, and its mainly items for the stuffing.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Parsley (a large bunch, or enough for about 3 cups chopped leaves)

• Raw Garlic Cloves (2-6 cloves, depending on your taste - more is better in my opinion)

• Fennel Seeds (about a tablespoon)

• Olive Oil (about 3 tablespoons to hold it all together)

• Golden Raisins (1/2 cup, also works well with dried apricots or fresh apples)

• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

  • The amounts here are enough for a half loin, so double it for the whole thing.

This is where you can definitely get creative. I’ve seen colorful fruit-stuffed versions, ones packed with creamy goat cheese or salty feta, as well as with a more classic sausage and seasoned bread crumb stuffing.

If there is a flavor combination that you imagine goes well with pork (and let’s be real, the list is practically endless), then it will probably taste good stuffed inside a loin roast.

The Prep

I recommend taking your fully thawed pork loin out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you plan to put it into the oven so that it can come up in temp, helping it cook more evenly throughout.

This is also a good time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Next you will need to gather a few tools around the kitchen, including:

• A food processor or blender in order to combine these ingredients

• A spatula to spread your filling

• A long sharp knife to slice the roast open

• Some butcher’s twine or string to tie it back up

• A deep roasting pan large enough to accommodate your roast

Rough chop the parsley and remove most of the coarse stems. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them once by pressing down on them with the side of your knife and your palm.

Combine the parsley leaves, crushed garlic cloves, fennel seeds and olive oil in the food processor. Mix gently at first with some quick pulses, then more rapidly until it becomes a puree.

Open the lid and add the raisins plus some salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse the mixture a few more times, until your fruit is finely chopped.

Stuffing the Roast

You need to slice open your pork loin in order to fill it with your scrumptious stuffing.

Do this by first positioning your knife parallel to the rib bones and slicing about 2 inches into the center. Lay the bones against your cutting board and keep slicing, rolling the center meat away from the bones as you cut until the whole thing lays mostly flat.

Season the inside with salt and pepper, then spread all of your stuffing mixture onto the meat, leaving about a 1/2 inch border on each side.

Roll the roast back up and tie it closed with butcher’s twine, tying one strand between each rib bone. No fancy knots required here, just tie it snug and trim any excess string.

Season the outside with salt, pepper and whatever other seasoning you like. I prefer a bit of garlic and oregano on mine.

Cooking and Serving

Set your pork loin into a deep roasting pan, uncovered and fat side up.

Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Start checking with your thermometer after about 40 minutes.

Once its out of the oven, cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

After it has rested, snip off the ties and slice the roast between each rib. Arrange them on their side on a serving platter to reveal the rich green swirl of flavor in the center of each thick chop.

These go great with some seasonal root vegetables, such as a roasted blend of beets, carrots and turnips.

Trust me, if you are looking for a simple recipe that still gives your dinner table that wow factor, try this one at your next gathering.

Do you have an idea for a great stuffing mix? I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Holidays, Juliann