Recipe Corner – Stuffed Pork Loin

by Susan Fisch (December 2025)

Christmas is just around the corner. I’m sure you’re already mentally preparing that big turkey feast for the family gathering. But by days three and four of leftovers, it’s time to change the menu. Or maybe you’re simply looking for an alternative to turkey. This is what I will be serving for Christmas this year. Paired with mashed potatoes, some vegetable sides and a festive salad, along with a lovely glass of wine or cider from one of our local producers, a feast to remember.

Stuffed Pork Loin

Watch on www.youtube.com/watch

Ingredients

5-pound (about 2.2 kg) pork loin steak
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp Provencal herbs
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp rosemary
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
12 ounces smoked bacon
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Sprig fresh rosemary
½ tsp dried oregano
2 oz dried apricots (60 g)
2 oz prunes (60 g)
2 oz cranberries (60 g)
2 oz raisins (60 g)
2 oz walnuts (or pecans) (60 g)
1 large sour apple
¼ cup white or rosé wine
½ cup broth or water

Directions

Prepare a fragrant seasoning for the meat. Add together the salt, black pepper, Provençal herbs, garlic, rosemary, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well. Set aside.
Blot your 5-pound (about 2.2 kg) pork loin steak dry with a paper towel. Cut in half, leaving about 1 cm uncut. Turn over. Then cut each half in half again, leaving about 1cm uncut. Turn over and stretch it into a single layer. Make cuts on the thickest parts of the meat. Cover the surface with cling film. Use a tenderizer hammer to tenderize the meat, to help it to absorb well all the seasoning.
Spread marinade over the entire surface. Fold the two sides in toward the middle and brush the surface with more marinade. Turn over and brush again with marinade. This way, all the meat will be marinated evenly. Cover with cling film and refrigerate.
To prepare the filling, finely chop 12 ounces of smoked bacon, approximately 350 grams. Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan to fry the bacon. Once golden brown, place on a plate, draining off excess fat back into the pan.
Chop the green onion very fine. Crush 2 cloves of garlic. Fry the onion in the bacon fat until transparent. Add garlic to the onion and let it cook until fragrant, about a minute. Chop a sprig of fresh rosemary, or use dried, and add to pan. Also add dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and reduce heat to low.
Finely chop the dried apricots, wash and dry prunes and finely chop and add both to the pan, along with dried cranberries, raisins – white and red or just one of choice. Grind the walnuts (or pecans) and add to the pan. Mix all the ingredients together.
Peel, core and cube 1 large sour apple and add in. Return the bacon to the pan. Mix well.
Pour in ¼ cup of white or rosé wine. Add ½ cup broth or water. Simmer for just a couple of minutes more.
Lay the pork filet out flat. Pour the filling onto the meat. Smooth it out gently and evenly with a spatula, leaving a couple of centimeters around the edges so it doesn’t spill over. Now roll up the meat gently, not to crush the filling. Tie it with kitchen string, tying knots all along the roast. The tied roll will look beautiful, and it will remain intact after cooking.
Place a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. Place the roll in the center of the baking tray and wrap it tightly, first with parchment, then with foil.
Bake at 200 °C (392 °F) for 60 minutes. Open the wrapping.
For a golden-brown roll, you need to glaze it. You can use ketchup, barbecue sauce or teriyaki sauce. Or simply brush with oil.
Bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let the meat rest for 5 – 10 minutes on the counter. Then carefully remove the kitchen string. It should cut perfectly into even portions.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and festive holiday season.