What I’d really wanted was one of those lovely, big bone-in pork loins, the kind that Costco usually sells over the holidays. And only during the holidays. My freezer was just too full to buy one, even though I would have cut it into more manageable sizes. So, when my DH went there on December 31st, this type was the only thing available. I’m not usually very crazy about this kind of tied-up roast because the butchers have taken two smaller boneless loins and just stuck them together to make one bigger roast. They never seem to have the same flavor as the bone-in ones. But this was what I had, so I needed to work with it, whatever it was.
My friend Cherrie had made this roast for Christmas Dinner and told me it was really delicious. The original recipe came from Southern Living, their December issue. When I made it, it was January 2nd and although some local food markets were open, I just decided to improvise and use what I could from my own pantry. I wanted it to be grilled on the barbecue, not oven roasted. I wanted to make the sauce in a pan, not nestled in the bottom of the pan with the pork grease, and I didn’t have mixed dried fruits, so I used dried apricots only. And it worked! Maybe not quite as pretty looking as the magazine’s finished product (they butterflied a big pork loin, stuffed it, then rolled and tied it).
Here, at left, are some additional photos: (1) the darling, little Seckel pears used for the sauce; (2) the sauce as it just began to simmer (with pearl onions, honey, butter, lemon juice, fresh rosemary); and (3) a plated portion with the slice of roast on the bottom, sauce on the top with some of the juices.
The roast, in a pan, on a rack, cooked in the barbecue for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and we let it rest, tented, for about 10 minutes before everybody couldn’t stand it any longer and we started eating. And it WAS really good. Everyone seemed to like the fruit sauce. Ideally you will cut thinner slices, so everyone gets a full round slice (with stuffing in the middle). What most people wanted, though, was a half of a thicker slice. It did fit on a plate a bit better, but not quite as attractive without the fruit stripe.
What I liked: how pretty it looked; how tender the meat was, and not dry because it was removed from the barbecue at exactly 145°; the sweet/savory taste of the fruit sauce on top.
What I didn’t like: even though I added butter to the fruit sauce, I think a bit of the drippings from the pork roast would have been exceptionally good in it. I’ll leave that up to you. In the original recipe the fruit soaked up a lot of the fat – I wanted to minimize that – but surely it would be good with just a bit of it.
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Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin with Pear Onion Sauce
Recipe By: Adapted from Southern Living, December 2011
Serving Size: 14
NOTES: Three firm, ripe Bartlett pears may be substituted for the Seckel pears. Core each pear, and cut into 4 wedges. And sugar may be substituted for the honey. The original recipe called for cippolini onions – if you can find them and can spend the time, they’re a deliciously sweet onion. Otherwise, use the frozen pearl onions.
6 pounds pork loin, lean, boneless
FRUIT STUFFING:
8 ounces dried apricots — or mixed dried fruits, chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt — divided
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper — divided
Kitchen string if needed to tie or re-tie roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
HERB RUB:
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary — finely minced
3 cloves fresh garlic — smashed, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage — finely minced
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
ROASTED PEARS AND ONIONS:
6 whole Seckel pears — firm ripe
2 tablespoons butter — melted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey — or sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary — finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound pearl onions — (frozen at Trader Joe’s) or fresh, peeled
2 tablespoons apricot preserves — or more if needed
1. Prepare Pork Loin: Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl. If pork loin is of the type with two loins put together and tied, use your fingers and gently stuff the apricot filling in-between the layers, pushing the fruit in to evenly fill the interior.
2. Combine the Herb Rub dry ingredients. Using your hands, slather the oil all over the roast on all sides, then roll in the herb mixture.
3. Preheat barbecue to 375°. Place pork roast on a rack set in a roasting pan and place pan in the barbecue with indirect heat with a meat thermometer.
4. Grill roast pork for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat registers 140-145°. Remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and let stand 15 minutes.
5. While meat is roasting (start this as soon as the meat is in the barbecue or it can be made ahead) prepare Roasted Pears and Onions: Preheat oven to 350°. Cut pears in half lengthwise, and remove cores. Cut pear halves in half if desired, or leave them in the larger halves. Stir together pears, butter, honey, lemon juice, rosemary, salt pepper and onions. Use a pan that can go from stovetop to oven, if possible. Bring pear mixture to a boil on stovetop, then cover and bake at 300° for about an hour. Remove to the stovetop and continue to cook, if necessary until pears are soft but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Add apricot preserves at the end just to thicken the sauce some. If desired add a tablespoon or so of the pork drippings to the sauce.
Per Serving: 363 Calories; 14g Fat (35.2% calories from fat); 36g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 92mg Cholesterol; 405mg Sodium.
Toffeeapple
said on January 9th, 2012:
That looks very festive. I have not heard of those pears, they must be an American fruit. Are they hard or soft before cooking?
They’re a very small pear, green and red skin, and they’re like any other soft pear. The recipe says you can substitute Bartlett. . . carolyn t
Dorothy
said on January 9th, 2012:
I love that you changed your profile picture. Wish other people would do that now and then. Also, I enjoy your book recommendations and have read quite a few of them.
Well, thank you Dorothy! Our church recently had a photographer in to update our member directory. For an additional $18 I got a CD and we “own” the photos. Go to my About page and you’ll see another photo of me with my husband. If you’re interested.
Am so glad you enjoy some of my book recommendations, Dorothy. I’m so glad! . . . carolyn t