Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Loin

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
 
To start you must slice your pork loin down to a third its thickness so that it can be rolled. Check out this  video tutorial if you are new to stuffing pork loin, as I was. I chose the method of slicing 2/3 of the way down the thickness of the meat almost through to the opposite side, as you would for a butterflied pork chop, then turning the meat, slicing the second third through from the other side not quite through and laying the meat out flat. I did a bit of flattening with my trusty olive oil bottle.

Slicing over a piece of plastic wrap keeps things from getting too messy.
 
Next, salt and pepper the inside of the meat before adding your filling, in this case I added the cheese and peppers. Then roll up meat into a lovely cylinder.

This is the point where I took out my roasting pan (13x9) and laid out the bacon strips. I rubbed the meat roll with the spices and then placed it on the bacon slices and wrapped the bacon around being sure to have the seam end up on the bottom of the roast against the pan.
 
Then the fat pork baby(photo above) goes into the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the juices run clear and internal temperature of 170. Crank up your broiler and finish it with 5 minutes under the flames to crisp up that bacon. This extra step ensures you have spicy sweet, candied bacon; which is wonderful with this roast.
 
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 or so minutes to allow the filling to cool a bit before slicing. Slice and serve with a yummy veggie like steamed broccoli.
 
**Now, one must remember that pork is not an everyday food, the sodium is alarming even if you have a healthy heart and circulatory system. **
 
And so, this is the situation that bore the mountain of food we had for dinner:

On sale this week: Pork Loin in a bag
Steal of a deal for this gal. We have been working our way into a low carb way of life as of late and meat prices are the bane of my existence. Yes, you can eat low carb without being a glutton for meat and meat accessories, but what is the fun in that? I have been working through the season of discounted chicken and the occasional beef roast, even a pork shoulder here and there, but this week its pork loin.
 
I asked my dad, “what is the best thing to do with a pork loin?” (I would usually just toss that pork baby in a slow cooker with potatoes, carrots, cream cheese, and some cream of chicken soup and eat it 6 hours later.) My dad educated me, big time, “stuff it,” he responded, and my life changed forever.
 
Maybe its not that dramatic, but it felt that way, like a wave of wisdom had been bestowed on me from on high. Stuff meat, like stuff it with more delicious things that make it amazing and juicy, that is a cause I can get behind.  Cue crazy pinteresting (that’s a word, istn’t it) and so may pins on pork and pork companion flavors. A sea of ideas including cream cheese, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, apples, onions … the possibilities!

We eat a lot of spinach around these parts so I looked for something different and decided on cheddar and peppers all wrapped in bacon. Then, eureka, a brown sugar spice rub. The game was on.

 
Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Stuffed Pork Loin
 
3.5 lb Pork Loin
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 Orange Bell Pepper Sliced
8 Slices Bacon
Salt
Pepper
 
Spice Mix
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
½  tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Chili Powder
¼ cup Brown Sugar
 
Mix spices together in a small bowl and set aside.
 
Preheat oven to 350
 
Layout Pork and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add cheddar cheese and pepper slices.
 
Roll pork up tightly and cover with spice rub.
 
Wrap in bacon and place in roasting pan.
 
Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes or until meat reaches 170.
 
Place under broiler for 5 minutes
 
Rest 10 minutes
 
Slice and Serve with a great vegetable, like steamed broccoli, to balance out your meal.

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