Rosemary-Scented Pork Loin |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 120 Minutes |
Ready In: 150 Minutes Servings: 16 |
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This is a great special occasion roast that is so flavorful and delicious. We stuff it a day ahead and let the flavors absorb into the pork over night, and then simply put it into the oven on the day you are having it. We've also cooked it on a gas grill if oven space is scarce. Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil |
16 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole |
2 tablespoons minced garlic cloves |
1 (8 lb) boneless pork loin, patted dry, at room temperature |
salt & freshly ground black pepper |
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced (snip with scissors) |
16 dried apricots (or similar amount of your favorite dried fruit) |
1/3 cup dried cranberries |
1/4 cup apple jelly |
1/4 cup port wine |
1/2 cup chicken broth |
2 tablespoons apple jelly |
2 teaspoons cornstarch |
Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add whole garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; reserve oil.
2. Turn pork loin fat-side down. Slit lengthwise, almost but not quite all the way through, to form a long pocket, leaving a 1/2-inch border of un-slit meat at each end. Brush cavity with some of the reserved garlic cooking oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and 1 Tb. of the rosemary. Line cavity with sauteed garlic and apricots; sprinkle in cranberries. Tie loin together with kitchen twine or heavy-duty string at 1 1/2-inch intervals.
3. Brush with remaining oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Set roast, fat-side up, diagonally or curved (so it fits) on a large, lipped cookie sheet or jellyroll pan. Warm 1/4 cup apple jelly along with the minced garlic and remaining rosemary. Brush mixture onto meat.
4. Roast until a meat thermometer stuck into the center registers 125 to 130 degrees. (Start checking at about 1 1/2 hours.) Remove from oven; raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. Brush loin with pan drippings, return to oven, and continue to roast until the loin is golden brown and a meat thermometer stuck into the center registers 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 20 minutes longer. For even more attractive coloring, broil until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Let roast rest 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to a carving board. Stir juices around pan to loosen brown bits. Pour through a strainer into a small pan, and stir in port, chicken broth and remaining 2 Tbs. of jelly; bring to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water; whisk into sauce. Simmer until lightly thickened. Slice pork and serve with a little sauce.
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