Stuffed Pork Loin With Cider Sauce

Cooks4_6's Note:

Adapted from an iVillage recipe.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 50 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup granny smith apple, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sage, rubbed (divided)
• 2 cups cornbread stuffing mix

Roast

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin roast
• 2 granny smith apples, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Sauce

• 1 cup cider
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper, and sauté 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Add cider, diced apples, chopped apricots and 1 teaspoon of sage, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in stuffing mix, and set aside.
2. Butterfly 1 pork loin by making a horizontal cut (about one-half down from top) into 1 side of pork, cutting to within ½ inch of other side. (Do not cut all the way through roast.).
3. Unfold top cut piece, open, and lay flat. Place pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to ½-inch thickness using a mallet or rolling pin. Rub pork loin completely with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle both sides with 1 teaspoon of sage. Spread stuffing mixture on pork, leaving a ½-inch border. Roll up roast trying to keep stuffing inside, and tie with kitchen string at 2-inch intervals. (It actually was easier for me to cut the roast in half and roll up each half separately).
4. Arrange apple wedges in a single layer in the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch roasting pan. Place roast(s), seam sides down, on apples.
5. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 425°; bake 25 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°. Remove from oven and place on platter tented with foil; let stand 15 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160° before slicing. Discard apples.
6. Place baking pan on stove top over medium high heat, and add cider. Boil, scraping up any brown bits from baking, until approximately 1/3 cup remains in the pan. It will be dark brown and thickish.
7. Add cream and sugar and boil until thickened, approximately 3-5 minutes.
8. Remove string, and slice. Serve pork with cider sauce drizzled over top of each slice. .