Bacon-wrapped Maple Pork Loin |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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**NOTE: Don't be alarmed by the prep time - you're brining the pork for 8 to 24 hours and once you get it in the marinade, you don't have to babysit the pork. I found this recipe on Epicurious over a year or so ago and made it for a holiday meal. Read more . It was so good, it deserves to be made and savoured throughout the year - not just for special occasions. It's an impressive meal to make for guests and I serve it with some garlic-sour cream mashed potatoes and an oven-roasted veggie like asparagus or brussels sprouts. Delightful meal. The maple syrup brings out the subtle sweetness of the bacon. Enjoy... Ingredients:
for brining pork |
8 cups water |
1/3 cup kosher salt |
2 tablespoons maple syrup (grade b or amber) - can sub molasses here, but don't use blackstrap |
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns |
2 sprigs fresh sage |
1 large garlic clove, smashed |
1 turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf |
1 (4- to 4 1/2-lb) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed |
for roasting pork |
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped |
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage |
3 tablespoons maple syrup (grade b or amber) |
16 bacon slices (about 1 lb) |
1 tablespoon cider vinegar |
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch |
1 teaspoon water |
special equipment: an instant-read thermometer |
Directions:
1. Brine pork:
2. Combine all brining ingredients except pork loin in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring, until salt is dissolved. Pour brine into a deep 4- to 5-quart pot; cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 2 hours.
3. Add pork to brine, making sure it is completely covered by brine, and marinate, covered and chilled, 8 to 24 hours. (8 hours is good - 24 hours of brining is even better)
4. ****
5. NOTE: I like to use my rack in the roasting pan for this recipe, so the bacon browns somewhat on the bottom of the roast. If you don't have a rack, see if a small cooling rack you have will fit inside your larger roasting pan instead. If you have neither, it will still work - just don't expect the bottom bacon (the tucked under the loin part) to get brown. The bacon will certainly cook, it just won't brown.
6. Roast pork:
7. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Pat pork dry (discard brine) and remove any strings, then transfer to a roasting pan.
9. Stir together garlic, sage, and 1 tablespoon syrup in a small bowl and rub all over pork.
10. Lay bacon slices crosswise over loin, overlapping slightly, and tuck ends of bacon underneath loin.
11. Roast pork until thermometer registers 140°F, about 1 1/4 hours.
12. Stir together 1 tablespoon syrup and vinegar until combined. Brush vinegar mixture carefully over bacon slices and continue to roast pork until thermometer registers 150°F, about 10 minutes more.
13. Remove from oven and let stand in pan 15 minutes.
14. Transfer roast to a cutting board with a lip, reserving juices in pan, and let roast stand, uncovered, while making sauce.
15. Skim fat from pan juices and discard, then transfer jus to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
16. Stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into jus. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
17. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon syrup.
18. Serve pork with sauce.
19. Makes 6-8 delicious portions.
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