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Recipe Friday: Stuffed Pork Loin in Blackberry Reduction Sauce

For the Stuffing --
  • 10 slices bread, lightly toasted
  • 1/2 diced celery
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 small Granny Smith apple, cored & diced
  • 5 strips bacon (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chives (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons sage (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Pork --

  • 2 pound pork loin
  • 8-10 slices bacon
  • salt
  • pepper

For the Sauce --

  • Pan drippings
  • 1 cup blackberry jelly
  • ½ to 1 cup red wine (merlot works best)
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare the stuffing, in a large bowl, tear the bread into small pieces and set aside. In a large skillet, fry the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and add to the bread. Add one tablespoon butter to the skillet and saute the celery, garlic, shallot & apple until tender. Pour saute mixture over the bread. Mix in herbs and lemon juice. Let cool completely. Beat eggs and fold into the stuffing mixture.

To prepare the pork loin, slice lengthwise and pound each piece until about 1/2" thick.
Dust with salt & pepper, then spoon the stuffing mixture in the center of one of the loin halves. Place the other half on top. Wrap the bacon strips around the loin and secure the bundle together with kitchen twine.

Bake for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Remove kitchen twine and keep warm until ready to apply the sauce and serve.

Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine using a wisk. Pour into a large skillet. Add the jelly and shallot and reduce until the mixture is almost dry. Add the chicken stock, decrease heat to medium, and reduce until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add the butter. Keep warm until you are ready to serve. (Making the sauce will take 20 to 30 minutes.)

When ready to serve the roast, place on serving platter, slice and drizzle with the reduction sauce.

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