Recipe: Apple, walnut and bacon stuffed pork roast

A luscious pork roast is perfect for a winter celebration. Photo / Fresh Media

This succulent pork roast is bursting with warm flavours. There are a few more steps to this roast than just banging a big piece of meat into the oven, but it’s all worthwhile when you get a mouthful of juicy meat, crunchy walnuts and the sweet spiciness of the stuffing.

Apple, walnut and bacon stuffed pork roast

Serves 8

Ingredients

2kg pork loin

6 slices of bacon, diced

½ large onion, diced

4 cups spinach leaves

1 apple, diced

1 cup walnut pieces, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp honey

For the crumb crust

1 cup walnut pieces

2 cloves of garlic

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

Salt

Pepper

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (to coat the pork)

Oil to coat the pork

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Heat a large frying pan and cook the bacon for 5 minutes to render the fat. Add the onion and apple and saute for a few more minutes. Add the rosemary, walnuts, spinach, mustard, honey and paprika. Cook through until the spinach is wilted, then set aside to cool.
3. Place all ingredients for the crust in a food processor and blitz to form a fine crumb.
4. Place the pork loin fat side down on to a chopping board. With a sharp knife, open the pork loin. Make a horizontal cut along the length of the pork loin, about two-thirds of the way down from the top. Be careful not to cut all the way through, as the stuffing will fall out. You want the pork loin to open like a book. When the pork is opened up, use a meat mallet to flatten it slightly.
5. With the loin still fat side down on the board, spread the filling over it, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge. Use your hands to pat the filling into place. Roll up the pork starting at the short end. Tie it firmly with a piece of kitchen twine.
6. Season the pork loin with salt. Preheat a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the pork fat side down and cook until golden brown. Let it cool.
7. Rub the outside of the pork loin with 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard and drizzle it with oil.
8. Roll the pork in the crumb and gently pat the crumb on until evenly covered.
9. Place the pork on an oven tray and cook at 180C for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 165C and continue to cook for 1½ hours.
10. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

NOTE: If you aren’t sure how to roll and tie the pork loin, follow these steps:

1. Start with a piece of kitchen twine, about three times the length of the pork loin.
2. Place the pork loin on a clean surface and position the twine on each side.
3. Bring the twine ends up and cross them over the top of the pork.
4. Loop one end of the twine under the pork loin and through the centre of the crossed twine.
5. Pull both ends of the twine under the pork loin and through the centre of the crossed twine.
6. Pull both ends of the twine tight to secure the loop around the pork loin.
7. Repeat this looping process, spacing the loops evenly along the length of the pork loin. Until the entire loin is securely tied.
8. Once you reach the end, tie the loose ends together to secure the loop.

– fresh.co.nz