Bacon-Stuffed Pork Loin

With garlicy apple cider gravy

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Servings: 6–8

Ahhh, fall. Time for roasting and slow cooking flavors of the season. Low and slow is just right for lean pork loin … surrounded by bacon and salami for the moist fat needed to make it tender and juicy.

Ingredients

8 slices maple bacon

4 pound pork loin

Salt and cracked black pepper

Poultry seasoning

Oil for searing

1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut in ½-inch rounds

30 cloves garlic

1½ cups spiced apple cider

⅔ cup apple cider vinegar

16 thin slices salami

Bacon drippings

⅓ cup stone ground mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Fresh sage to garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees. Fold bacon in half and bake until almost done.
Season loin on all sides with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Coat bottom of heavy skillet with oil. Sear on all sides at medium-high, about 5 minutes each, until browned “crust” forms. Place on cutting board and cut 8 slices, making sure not to cut all the way through. Place sliced onion and half the garlic in bottom of slow cooker with cider and vinegar.
Tuck each piece of bacon into 2 slices of salami (“taco style”), then tuck these into loin pockets with remaining garlic cloves. Place on top of onions, pour the bacon drippings over, cover and cook on high for 2 hours.*
Combine mustard with sugar and spoon over loin after about one hour.
Remove, cover and let stand while making gravy.
To make gravy, blend cornstarch into a cup of slightly cooled sauce. Whisk this slurry into remaining sauce in slow cooker and let thicken, about 15 minutes. Purée with blender. Serve with roast garnished with sage.