Frederic Melton
Stuffed pork loin is a versatile dish that can be adapted to suit many occasions, from a simple weeknight dinner to a holiday meal. The pork loin is a tender cut of meat that can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as cheese, spinach, and bacon, and then cooked in an oven, on a grill, or even on a BBQ rotisserie. The recommended internal temperature for cooked pork loin is 145°F (63°C), and it is essential to ensure that both the meat and the stuffing reach this temperature for safety. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to cook bacon and cheese-stuffed pork loin, as well as offer suggestions for side dishes and wine pairings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven Temperature | 325°F-375°F (165°C-190°C) |
| Cooking Time | 20-45 minutes |
| Pork Loin Internal Temperature | 145°F-160°F (63°C-71°C) |
| Resting Time | 10 minutes |
| Stuffing | Spinach, Cheese, Breadcrumbs, Herbs, Fruits, Vegetables |
| Wrapping | Bacon, Prosciutto, Pancetta, Ham |
| Securing | Toothpicks, Twine |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the pork loin for stuffing
Butterflying the Pork Loin:
Place the pork loin on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut along the length of the loin, stopping about an inch from the opposite side. Do not cut all the way through; the goal is to open up the meat like a book. If needed, pound the meat with a mallet or the bottom of a skillet to ensure it is of even thickness. This technique, known as butterflying, will help the pork loin cook more evenly and provide a good base for stuffing.
Seasoning and Stuffing:
Season the butterflied pork loin with salt and pepper, or other herbs and spices of your choice. This step adds flavour and enhances the taste of the dish. For the stuffing, you can get creative and use a variety of ingredients such as cheese, spinach, onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, or even dried fruit. Spread your chosen filling in a thin, even layer onto the pork loin, leaving a border around the edges. This border is crucial to prevent the filling from spilling out during cooking.
Rolling and Securing:
Tightly roll up the pork loin, starting from the edge closest to you and rolling away from yourself. This technique ensures the filling stays inside. Some recipes suggest using toothpicks or kitchen twine to secure the pork loin closed, but this is not always necessary. Chilling the rolled loin for about 30 minutes can help it maintain its shape.
Wrapping with Bacon:
Lay out your bacon slices, slightly overlapping them to create a mat that is the same width as the length of the pork loin. Place the rolled loin in the centre of the bacon, seam-side down. Start wrapping the bacon around the loin, making sure to cover all exposed areas of the meat. You can secure the bacon with toothpicks or kitchen twine for extra security, but this may not be needed if the bacon is overlapped properly.
Now that your pork loin is stuffed and wrapped, it is ready for cooking! The preparation method ensures even cooking, a secure filling, and a mouthwatering final dish.
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Making the stuffing
To make the stuffing for a bacon and cheese-stuffed pork loin, you'll first need to butterfly the pork loin. Place the pork loin on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to make a horizontal cut along the length of the loin, stopping about an inch from the opposite side. Open the loin up like a book. If necessary, pound the meat with a mallet or the bottom of a skillet to ensure it is of even thickness.
For a spinach and cheese stuffed pork loin, season the butterflied and flattened pork loin with salt and pepper. Then, spread a thin, even layer of cheese on top. You can use goat's cheese, mozzarella, or another cheese of your choice. Next, add a layer of spinach. Make sure the spinach is no more than 1/4 inch thick, or it will be difficult to roll.
For a sausage mousse, dried cherry, and cranberry stuffed pork loin, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent. Then, stir in dried cherries, dried cranberries, and minced garlic. Turn off the heat and let the garlic infuse for a few minutes before preparing the mousse.
For a simple breadcrumb stuffing, mix torn bread, melted butter, poultry seasoning, onion, and celery in a bowl until the bread is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Once you've prepared your chosen stuffing, spread it onto the pork loin in a line along the center of the meat. Roll the tenderloin, jelly roll-style, around the filling. Then, wrap the bacon slices around the stuffed tenderloin, overlapping them slightly, and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
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Stuffing the pork loin
To make a bacon and cheese stuffed pork loin, you'll first need to butterfly your pork loin. Place the loin on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to make a horizontal cut along its length, stopping about an inch from the opposite side. Open the loin up like a book. If necessary, pound the loin to an even thickness.
Now, it's time to prepare the filling. For a spinach and cheese filling, melt some butter in a pan over medium heat. Add spinach, onion, and garlic, cooking until the spinach is wilted and the onion is soft. Remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside. Season the pork loin with salt and pepper, then spread a thin layer of cheese on top. Common cheese choices include goat cheese, mozzarella, and cream cheese. Next, spread the spinach mixture on top of the cheese, ensuring the spinach isn't too thick, or it will be difficult to roll.
For a different filling option, try a combination of sausage mousse, dried cherries, cranberries, and fresh herbs. Start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, then stir in dried cherries and cranberries. Turn off the heat and let the garlic infuse for a few minutes before preparing the mousse.
Once you've chosen and prepared your filling, it's time to stuff and roll the pork loin. Spread the filling in a line along the center of the meat, leaving a border to prevent overstuffing and spillage. Roll the loin back up, bringing the edges together to return it to its original shape. Secure the roll with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Finally, wrap the stuffed pork loin with bacon slices. Lay out the bacon slices slightly overlapping, ensuring they cover the length of the loin. Place the loin on top, with the toothpicks or twine facing up, and wrap the bacon around it, forming a log. Secure the bacon with additional toothpicks or kitchen twine, if needed.
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Wrapping the pork loin in bacon
Firstly, lay out your bacon slices, slightly overlapping the edges, until it's the same width as the length of the pork loin. You can place the tenderloin on top of the bacon slices with the toothpicks facing up and begin wrapping the bacon around the pork to form a log. Alternatively, you can place the tenderloin in the centre of the bacon mat, seam-side down, and wrap the bacon around it.
If you want to secure the bacon in place, you can use toothpicks or kitchen twine. If you use kitchen twine, secure the bacon to the tenderloin every 1.5 inches and add a final piece of twine from end to end.
If you want to avoid using toothpicks or twine, you can try chilling the pork loin for about 30 minutes after wrapping it in bacon. This should prevent the bacon from unraveling.
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Cooking the bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed pork loin
To make a bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed pork loin, you'll first need to prepare the pork loin by butterflying it and then stuffing it. To butterfly the pork loin, make a horizontal cut along the length of the loin, stopping about an inch from the opposite side. Open it up like a book.
For the stuffing, you can use a variety of ingredients such as spinach, cheese (chevre, mozzarella, or cream cheese), garlic, breadcrumbs, onions, and herbs. Spread the stuffing in a line along the center of the butterflied pork loin, leaving a border to prevent overstuffing and the filling spilling out during cooking. Roll the loin tightly and secure it with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Next, prepare the bacon wrapping by laying out the bacon slices, slightly overlapping them to form a mat that is the same width as the length of the pork loin. Place the tenderloin on the center of the bacon, seam-side down, and wrap the bacon around it. Secure the bacon with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Preheat your oven to between 325°F and 375°F (depending on the recipe). Place the bacon-wrapped pork loin on a baking sheet, with the seam side down. Roast for 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your pork loin and the oven temperature. The recommended internal temperature for cooked pork is 145°F (63°C), so use an instant-read thermometer to check that the pork has reached this temperature.
Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and flavorful meat.
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