Olive And Medjool Date Stuffed Pork Loin Recipes

BOURBON AND DRIED PLUM STUFFED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• For the filling: Combine the bourbon and dried plums in a small bowl and set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and some salt and pepper to taste; cook, stirring, over medium heat until very tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder, rosemary and cumin and cook 30 seconds more.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the dried plums and bourbon. Carefully return the pan to the heat and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon butter. Remove the pan from the heat and add the breadcrumbs. Stir well to incorporate, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
• For the pork loin: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Rub the mixture all over the pork loin and place on a cutting board with the fat side facing up. Starting on one side of the loin, insert a paring knife or thin fillet knife through the cut side of the loin toward the center of the meat, keeping both your knife and the meat centered. (You are trying to create a hole through the center of the loin while keeping the entire roast intact, like a tunnel.) If your knife is not long enough to reach all the way through the loin, make the same cut from the opposite end of the loin to connect the two cuts.
• Lay a sheet of plastic wrap out on the cutting board. Arrange the stuffing in the center of the plastic wrap. Shape the stuffing so that it lays in a narrow rectangle, the same length as the pork loin. Tightly wrap the stuffing in the plastic wrap, maintaining the shape. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to tighten the shape and tie a knot at each end as close to the stuffing as possible.
• Insert a metal skewer with a looped end through the hole in the pork loin. Tie one end of the plastic wrap around the loop and use it to pull the stuffing into the center of the pork loin.
• When the stuffing is centered, cut the knot off one end of the plastic wrap. Pull the plastic wrap from the other end while squeezing to extract the stuffing. As you pinch and pull, the plastic wrap should come out, leaving the stuffing behind inside the pork loin.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and place the pork loin fat-side down on top. Roast the pork loin, 25 minutes. Flip the pork loin so that the fat side is now facing up. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork loin registers 140 degrees F, about 20 minutes more. Transfer the pork loin to a rack to rest. (The internal temperature should reach a minimum of 145 degrees F as it rests.)
• Slice into 1/2-inch thick and drizzle with good-quality olive oil before serving.

OLIVE-STUFFED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season pork all over with salt and black pepper. Using a sharp knife, make several slits in pork, about 1-inch deep. Stuff olives into slits all over pork. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Sear pork on all sides and then remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Pour mixture all over pork. Bake approximately 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 to 160 degrees F. Let pork stand 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1-inch thick slices.

APPLE AND PRUNE STUFFED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil. Add the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the bacon is crispy and has released a lot of fat, add the onions and season with salt. Cook the onions until they are soft and aromatic, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the apples, prunes, and half the chopped rosemary. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Pull the pan off the heat and add the brandy. Return to the fire and flambe, or let the alcohol just burn off. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Lay out a length of plastic wrap about 2-feet in length. Spoon the apple mixture onto the plastic and make a log down the center that is about the same length as the pork loin. Roll the plastic tightly around the apple mixture and twist at the ends to secure. The log should be about 1- inch in diameter. Place the log in the freezer and let it freeze solid. This can and should be done ahead of time.
• To stuff the pork: Insert a long, thin knife into the center of one end of the pork loin; repeat this process at the other end. Wiggle the knife back and forth to create a place big enough to accommodate your frozen stuffing log. After cutting with the knife, you can use the handle of a long wooden spoon to make sure the incision goes all the way through the pork loin.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Get the stuffing log from the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. Slide the stuffing log through the pork loin - it might need a little encouragement but it should go the length of the loin. Season the outside of the pork generously with salt and sprinkle it with the remaining chopped rosemary.
• Coat a roasting pan with olive oil and bring the pan to a high heat. Add the pork to the pan and sear it on all sides until it is brown.
• Remove the pork to a plate and ditch the fat in the roasting pan. Add the pork back to the pan pour in the chicken stock. Place it in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how you like your pork. I personally like it pinker and would remove it from the oven when a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees F. Turn it over halfway through the cooking time. Remove it from the oven, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.

ITALIAN STUFFED PORK LOIN WITH OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• Place pork in a shallow dish and coat with Italian dressing. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
• For the relish, stir the black olives, green olives, garlic, onion, and peppers together in a bowl; stir in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• When pork has finished marinating, preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Slice the pork loin down the center lengthwise, cutting about 3/4 of the way through to the other side. Stuff full with the olive relish. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, or until internal temperature has reached 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).