Sunday, August 26, 2012

Cornbread Stuffed Pork Loin



Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:
1 cup cornbread dressing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 (2-pound) piece pork loin
2 cups brown gravy
 
Directions:
Make a cut 1/4-inch from the top of the loin down the full length and roll the pork cutting at the same time, this will give you a flat piece of meat ( if you were to roll it back up it would look like it did before you cut it).  Cover with plastic wrap and pound out to about 1/4" thick.  Flip over with plastic wrap underneath and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
 




 
Evenly spread the stuffing over the flattened pork loin and then re-roll it back to the original form.
 


 
 
Tie together with butcher's twine, so the loin is tied approximately every 2 inches, by cutting the kitchen string so that you have a piece about 5-feet long.  Make a loop around the pork loin with one end of the string and tie a firm knot.
 
 
Use one hand to keep the string taut, and the other to bring the string around and under the roast. The best way to do this is to move the string away from you then loop it under the pork loin.  Slide the string under the part of the string you are holding taut and gently tug. This makes the first hitch in the chain.  Repeat step 3 and 4 until you have tied the entire pork loin. You should have a chain hitch about every 2 inches along the meat so that they are evenly spaced. Tie a knot in the kitchen string at the end of the pork loin.
 
 
Sprinkle the loin with salt and pepper, then wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour to rest and firm up a bit.
 
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Using a large skillet over medium high heat, add the grapeseed oil and sear the whole pork loin until golden brown all over, then transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 18 to 23 minutes.
 

 
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F.  Check the pork temperature after 10 minutes, as some ovens cook faster than others, and we don't want the meat to overcook.  The loin should be removed from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer the loin to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil, to rest for 5 minutes.  It will continue to cook and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Slice the pork and arrange on a serving platter to serve.  Enjoy!
 
Tip:  You can also stuff a pork loin with different ingredients such as, apple and cornbread, spinach and goat cheese, apple cranberry, herb stuffed, rice.  Instead of brown gravy, you can use mushroom gravy or a side of applesauce or cranberry sauce!  The ideas are endless so be creative and add your own stuffing idea!