Directions:
Bacon Apple Stuffed Pork Loin
· Brown the bacon in a heavy bottom sauce pot until crispy and uniformly colored, remove the bacon leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently until they are a deep golden brown. Add the garlic and stir a few moments more until it is fully aromatized. Add the applesauce and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the sauce reduces by half or more to form a thick paste. Stir frequently.
Place the thickened apple bacon mixture in a bowl and stir in the sage and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper then add enough breadcrumbs to bind it into a stiff stuffing. It should retain its shape when squeezed into a ball.
There are two ways to prepare the pork loin for stuffing. The first and easiest is to simply cut a long slit along one side into the center of the loin and open it up as you would a book. The second is a little tougher but ultimately makes a nicer presentation. Push a long sharp knife into either end of the loin and carefully work it back and forth gradually widening the hole until you’ve cut a pocket through the center from one end to the other without breaking through the sides. Its tricky but it can be done!
For the first version place the stuffing on the meat and fold it back up. Its best to tie the meat with butchers string in a few places to keep it tight while it cooks. For the second version place the stuffing in a piping bag with a large straight tip and ‘pipe’ it into the cavity. It’s not necessary to tie the second version and if any stuffing is left over it can be baked in a small casserole dish with the pork loin…
Roll the stuffed pork loin in the flour, pat off any excess then coat in the egg mixture, let drain then roll it in a combination of the remaining bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese.
Bake the pork loin in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour or until a meat thermometer inserted in its thickest part registers 155 degrees. Remove it to a cutting board and let rest covered with tin foil for fifteen minutes before slicing. Enjoy!