Cooking with Rod's Family

 

Easter will be here April 20 and many of us will be entertaining family and want to serve a delicious meal that is not only tummy filling, but is also a meal that shows some extra effort went into its preparation.

Last Fall, I bought a nice pork loin and was looking for a little different recipe. Over the years I've come up with some very tasty roast loin recipes using various marinades and unique gravies or sauces.

My son, John, spoke up saying, "I recently was invited to eat with my daughter, Faith. Her best friend and long-time roommate Ivy prepared a pork loin that may have been the best I've ever had." I inquired as to how the loin was prepared but John told me he had no clue but I really should get her recipe.

I immediately reached out for Ivy to share her Stuffed Pork Loin recipe. She immediately responded. The recipe looked really tasty! I decided we should try it.

Of course, being me, I began rereading the recipe and an idea for adding my favorite flavors began forming in my head. Cranberries! Oranges! Onion flavor ... These would sparkle in the recipe Ivy had created. And I must always have a lovely sauce or gravy to complement a roasted meat.

The recipe provided here is the combination of Ivy's delicious stuffed loin and my flavorful additions to both the stuffing and the ingredients for a lovely Cranberry-Orange-Onion Sauce. It would make a stunning Easter dinner for your family and guests.

Thank you, Ivy DeLaRosa for your fabulous Stuffed Pork Loin and permission for me to publish it as modified by my love of CRANBERRIES.

Readers, try this recipe. I believe you will be proud to serve our collaboration to your guests.

Bon appetit~!

Ivy n M's Stuffed Cranberry-Orange-Onion Pork Loin

Ingredients:

* 4 - 5 lb pork loin

* 2 tsp. Mrs. Dash (or to taste)

* 2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)

* 1 box Stovetop chicken stuffing mix

* 1 package dried cranberries

* 2 cans jellied cranberry sauce

* 1 can frozen orange juice

* 1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup mix

* 1 Tbsp. Prepared Yellow Mustard

* 2 cups chicken broth

* May need water to maintain liquid in roasting pan and/or to reduce pan liquid to gravy before serving

* Slurry of white flour and water to thicken gravy (or use 2 tablespoons cornstarch added to boiling liquid as shown in gravy instructions below)

*Butcher's twine

Instructions:

1. Rinse loin well and pat dry

2. Cut away thick fat leaving a small bit only. To prepare to roll, must fillet the loin and roll out flat, remove silver membrane.

3. Season well with Mrs. Dash and ground black pepper

4. Prepare Stovetop stuffing mix per box instructions.

5. Mix dried cranberries with prepared stuffing mix. Spread over inside of filleted loin evenly.

6. Roll loin back up. Secure with butcher's twine.

7. Place in large roasting pan

8. Mix 2 cans jellied cranberry sauce, 1 can frozen orange juice, 2 cups chicken broth and 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix and tablespoon yellow mustard. Simmer in saucepan and stir until cranberry sauce and orange juice melts.

9. Pour cranberry-orange-onion sauce over loin.

10. Roast covered in 350° oven for about 2 hours.
Uncover and continue roasting until nicely browned on top and NO PINK LIQUID runs out when thickest part of loin is cut into.

Meat should be WHITE in light meat portion, nicely browned and firm in dark meat portion.

Minimum 165° internal temp. Internal Temp MUST BE 165° to be safe.


CRANBERRY-ORANGE-ONION GRAVY:

Pour all liquid from the roasting pan into a narrow container and place in freezer for a few (up to 15) minutes to cause fats to rise where they can be removed. Once the liquid is clear, pour into a saucepan. (Measure the liquid to ensure it is sufficient to make about 4 to 6 cups gravy. Add water or more chicken broth to bring to proper quantity.)
Bring liquid to a boil then add slurry of flour and water or cornstarch to thicken. Stir constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming, Keep warm for serving over loin and potatoes.
Rest loin for 15 minutes on counter before slicing to serve.


To serve, accompany with mashed potatoes, green beans or asparagus or broccoli and a warm crusty bread.

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