Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Apple, Prune, and Blue Cheese Stuffing

I am always excited to greet the fall with rib-sticking dishes like this one. Years ago, I enjoyed Cognac-soaked prunes stuffed and roasted in a pork loin. This takes that recipe up a notch with a rich apple, prune, arugula, and blue cheese stuffing. Wrapping the pork loin in bacon renders it nicely tender. This would be great for a dinner party!

8servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 pitted dried prunes, quartered

Armagnac to cover prunes, about 6 tablespoons

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup shallot, peeled, minced

1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, small diced, about 1 ½ cups

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¾ cup arugula

½ cup blue cheese crumbled

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 ½ to 3 pounds boneless pork loin

4 to 6 slices bacon

½ cup fig jam

DIRECTIONS:

Cover the prunes in a jar with the Armagnac overnight up to twenty-four hours. Strain and reserve both the prunes and one-fourth cup of Armagnac.

Heat a small skillet.  Add the butter. When it is melted, add the shallot, apples, and thyme. When softened, deglaze with the reserved one-fourth cup of Armagnac and prunes, reduce. Add the vinegar and arugula. Remove from the heat.

Butterfly the pork loin by slicing and rolling the meat open into a flat layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the apple mixture onto the center of the pork loin. Top with blue cheese. Roll up tightly.

Lay the bacon on a piece of plastic wrap, slightly overlapping each other. Place the rolled-up loin onto the bacon and roll up to cover the loin fully. Place in the freezer for thirty minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the plastic from the pork. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast for thirty-five to forty minutes or until 135°F. Brush with the fig jam. Return to the oven until 145°F, about ten more minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for ten minutes before slicing into eight portions.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Apple, Prune, and Blue Cheese Stuffing

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Apple, Prune, and Blue Cheese Stuffing
Yield: 8 servings
Author:
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 50 MinInactive time: 12 H & 10 MTotal time: 13 H & 25 M

I am always excited to greet the fall with rib-sticking dishes like this one. Years ago, I enjoyed Cognac-soaked prunes stuffed and roasted in a pork loin. This takes that recipe up a notch with a rich apple, prune, arugula, and blue cheese stuffing. Wrapping the pork loin in bacon renders it nicely tender. This would be great for a dinner party!


Ingredients

  • 8 pitted dried prunes, quartered
  • Armagnac to cover prunes, about 6 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup shallot, peeled, minced
  • 1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, small diced, about 1 ½ cups
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ¾ cup arugula
  • ½ cup blue cheese crumbled
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds boneless pork loin
  • 4 to 6 slices bacon
  • ½ cup fig jam

Instructions

  1. Cover the prunes in a jar with the Armagnac overnight up to twenty-four hours. Strain and reserve both the prunes and one-fourth cup of Armagnac.
  2. Heat a small skillet. Add the butter. When it is melted, add the shallot, apples, and thyme. When softened, deglaze with the reserved one-fourth cup of Armagnac and prunes, reduce. Add the vinegar and arugula. Remove from the heat.
  3. Butterfly the pork loin by slicing and rolling the meat open into a flat layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the apple mixture onto the center of the pork loin. Top with blue cheese. Roll up tightly.
  4. Lay the bacon on a piece of plastic wrap, slightly overlapping each other. Place the rolled-up loin onto the bacon and roll up to cover the loin fully. Place in the freezer for thirty minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the plastic from the pork. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast for thirty-five to forty minutes or until 135°F. Brush with the fig jam. Return to the oven until 145°F, about ten more minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for ten minutes before slicing into eight portions.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

390

Fat (grams)

17 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

7 g

Carbs (grams)

23 g

Fiber (grams)

2 g

Net carbs

21 g

Sugar (grams)

15 g

Protein (grams)

36 g

Sodium (milligrams)

311 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

112 mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

pork loin, apple, prune, bacon
main dish, entree
American
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Linda HierholzerENTRÉESComment