Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Cider Cream

If you should happen to be looking for a something different to serve to guests or have a craving for an old fashioned style Sunday dinner, this would be it. The fact we had it on a Thursday night is to give you a little heads up to make a trip to your favorite market and pick up all the ingredients. Not really but we'll say that's the case OK? I just had a bee in my bonnet for a pork roast. 

Inspired by our friends at Dairy Goodness and the Dairy Farmers of Canada, this dish is a real celebration of all that's good about autumn cooking, including but not limited to an unbelievable cider cream gravy that just made it onto my list of all time favorites.  Hit the link for the original version of the recipe and my version's below. Due to necessity, I made some rather significant changes to the recipe. I bought the wrong cut of pork loin, couldn't find fresh cranberries, didn't have enough dried ones and wanted to put my two cents into it all anyway.

The ruby colored stuffing in this fabulous roast of pork is a combination of sauteed shredded red cabbage and onion, as well as the aforementioned dried cranberries and sour cherries. It is spiced with thyme, moistened with cream and Apple Jack brandy and rounded out with some fresh French bread cubes, crust and all. It's about perfect in the flavor department and a great way to keep a center cut pork roast from drying out as it cooks. I also can't help but think what a fabulous stuffing it would make for a Christmas goose if you're into goose that is.

As you can see from the photo, while the recipe called for a butterflied single loin roast, by mistake I bought one that had been cut in two and joined into one piece, so I snipped the strings, cut a section of pork from the center of each half and retied the two pieces together so I had some room for the stuffing. The leftovers went into an aluminum foil package to be reheated during the last 45 minutes of cooking time and the pork pieces robbed from the roast are earmarked for some fried rice sometime next week. No sweat. 

As for the crowning touch, apple cider is reduced to concentrate the flavor, seasoned with finely chopped shallots, salt and pepper and enriched with half and half cream mixed with a touch of flour for thickening. Just because I couldn't let it go to waste, I added some of the drippings from the roast for a little more porky flavor. The sauce is absolutely amazing but you all know I'm a pushover for gravy anyway, right? It is amazing. You've just got to try and see for yourself! 

Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Cider Cream Gravy (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from dairygoodness.ca)

Stuffing:

2 tablespoons butter

3 cups finely shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon thyme

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried sour cherries

Salt and pepper

3 cups small cubes crusty bread (I used French bread)

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup Applejack Brandy

Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat and when hot add red cabbage, onion and thyme. Cook stirring occasionally under cabbage is softened and just starts to brown. Add cranberries, and sour cherries. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Stir in bread cubes, half and half and applejack.

1 – 3 pound boneless double loin pork roast, tied or 1 single loin roast, butterflied

1/2 cup apple cider

If using a tied double loin roast, snip string and separate pieces. Cut a wedge of pork out of the center of each piece, then re-tie roast together using butcher’s twine. Fill center of the roast with stuffing. (If using a butterflied single loin roast, pound pork to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Spread stuffing out onto roast, then roll roast from the short end and tie with butcher’s twine). Place any leftover stuffing into a foil package and seal well. Refrigerate until needed, and then place stuffing in the oven 45 minutes before roast is done.

Spray roasting pan with cooking spray and place roast fate side up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of apple cider. Roast pork in a preheated 325 oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 155. Baste occasionally with more apple cider. Allow roast to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cider Cream Gravy:

1-1/2 cups apple cider

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons pan juices from roast

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small pot, combine apple cider and shallot. Boil over high heat until reduced by half. Lower heat to medium. In a small jar or container, shake flour and cream together until smooth. Whisk mixture into cider and heat until thickened. Season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle in pan juices from the roast and stir to combine.  

A year ago -  Pork, Pumpkin and White Bean Chili

Two year's ago - Beef and Cabbage Soup

Comments

[Lea]

Boy, that is pretty! - We do eat with our eyes first! And the light colored gravy was a surprise -but a welcome one! I think Thursday night calls for a good, hearty meal to get us through the whole week - and this was def. a winner!

[June]

Thanks Lea. I kinda' sweat buckets that I'd over cook or under cook the roast, but a thermometer took care of that (it took 2 hours). I've great plans for the leftover roast so stay tuned!

[pam]

There is seriously nothing better than a pork roast!

[June]

Pam - I agree!

[Lorraine]

Beautiful. The color of the stuffing really pops! The cranberries and cherries make me think that the goose idea would be smart too.

[June]

Thanks Lorraine and it was oh so tasty too. The combination of tart cranberries and tart/sweet sour cherries really was a good'un.