Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

You can get a pork loin with the bone in or off in sizes from about 5 to 15 pounds. I like to order a pork loin with the bones on, and, because we'll be stuffing this little piggy, I take the bone off and save the slab of ribs for cooking another day. When I remove the ribs I leave about 1/2 to 3/4" of meat on the bones. That gives you a slab of baby backs that is far meatier than those the butcher sells and a beautiful roast. Then trim the roast so it is almost the same thickness all along its length. Trim off the fat layer and the tough silverskin just below it. Try to make the tube of meat uniform in thickness so it will not be overdone on one end and underdone on the other. You'll end up with a cylinder of goodness. There are several ways to stuff a roast: (1) You can simply take the tube and slice it across the middle like a hot dog bun leaving a hinge (above), or (2) A more elegant method, that also gives you more stuffing and moisture, is to insert a long, sharp knife about 3/4" above the cutting board work the knife along at the same height sort of unrolling the meat, as below. The bottom photo shows a loin stuffed with pesto.

"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful." Mae West

Tender, juicy, smokey, delicious, spectacular looking, and fast. Could you ask for anything more?

Pork loin is lean tender tube shaped muscle attached to the ribs on one side and the spine spine on the other. When they talk about eating high off the hog, this is the cut they mean.

You can and brine it for extra moisture and flavor, but if you cook it properly, to 145°F, it will be tender and moist. This dish has special occasion written all over it.

Pork Loin Roast With Bread Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients
1 fresh center cut pork loin roast, bone in, about 10 pounds
1 pound of bread stuffing with cranberries
1.5 gallons of brine
4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of Simon and Garfunkel Rub

About the roast. You can order roasts smaller than 10 pounds.

Do this
1) Submerge the meat in brine for 2 to 4 hours. Follow the link for brining recipes and tips. Remove the meat from the brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels.

2) Make about 1 pound of your favorite bread stuffing. I sometimes use a classic bread stuffing with some fresh cranberries and orange zest. It's moist, fruity, slightly sweet, slightly tart, and really complements the pork. Make a double batch, so you can serve some on the side. Another approach I like is to stuff it with an herb paste, like pesto. I thin it with my best olive oil and toss in some raisins and toasted pine nuts. Sometimes I soak the raisins in rum and microwave it for about 30 seconds to speed the soaking. I then drink the rum that has not been absorbed.

3) Slice open the meat as shown in the pictures on this page and pile on the stuffing. Try to level the stuffing from edge to edge, front to back.

4) Fold or roll the meat back over the stuffing and, with butcher's twine, tie the bundle every inch or so. Coat the meat with olive oil, and sprinkle with an herb rub. The oil helps brown the meat, keeps moisture in, and pulls flavor from the oil soluble herbs. I use my Simon and Garfunkel Rub.

5) Insert your meat thermometer probe in the center of the thickest part. Preheat the smoker or grill and set it up for 2-zone indirect cooking and smoking. But because this is lean meat and there is little sinew and connective tissue to melt, we can cook it hotter than usual. Shoot for about 300°F, and place the meat in the indirect zone.

6) Add the meat and the wood for smoking at the same time. Go easy on the wood. We only want a hint of smoke. This is delicate meat. At 300°F the roast will cook to 145°F in about 1 to 2 hours, depending on how thick it is and how steady you can keep the temp. Plan on 20 to 30 minutes per inch of thickness and the widest part. When it is done, cover the meat with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes so the juices will be re-absorbed. As usual, if the meat is done early, hold it in a faux cambro until the rest of dinner is ready.

7) Cut in 1" slices and serve with soused apple slices and extra stuffing on the side.

This page was revised 6/15/2010

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