How beautiful is this pork roast?!
This is just the perfect main dish to serve for the holidays. It’s really not all that difficult, but definitely delivers on the “WOW” factor! The flavors are perfect – onion, fennel, dried cherries, and sage. Let me walk you through just how easy this fancy dish really is!
Just a hint to make this even easier on yourself. Prep the roast, brown it, then pop it back in the fridge until about 20 minutes before you are ready to bake it. Let it sit on the counter while your oven preheats (my oven is painfully slow and takes about 20 minutes to get to 400). Pop it in the oven, work on your side dishes, and make the glaze last while the roast rests (you can go ahead and pre-measure the ingredients for the glaze, just wait to boil the glaze until right before serving).
Start with finely chopping the onion and fennel. That’s all the chopping required! Cook it in a skillet with a little olive oil until it’s soft, add in chopped garlic for just a minute, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Combine with remaining filling ingredients.
Next, butterfly the pork loin roast by slicing horizontally through the middle, not cutting all the way through to the other side. Lay plastic wrap over the butterflied pork and use a meat mallet to pound to about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the filling mixture over the pork and roll as tightly as possible, securing with kitchen twine.
Brown all sides in a skillet, then transfer to a roasting pan. Pour in a couple cups of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan and place in a 400 degree oven for 45-55 minutes, until internal temp reaches 140 degrees. If the broth starts to dry up in the bottom of the pan, just add more.
Remove the pork from the oven when the internal temp reaches 140 degrees and let it rest while you make the glaze. Slice and serve with the glaze!
Now you’re ready to impress!
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Holiday Stuffed Pork Roast with Balsamic Cherry Glaze
Ingredients
For the Pork
3 cups chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3/4 cup finely chopped fennel bulb
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sourdough breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin, trimmed
For the glaze
4 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/8 cup red wine
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of the chicken stock and the dried cherries. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes to soften the cherries. Let stand while you prepare the rest of the filling.
In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and fennel until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the thyme, sage, breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and melted butter to the mixing bowl. Drain the cherries, reserving 1/4 cup of the chicken stock they were softened in. Add that 1/4 cup of reserved stock to the filling mixture and stir to combine.
Slice horizontally through the center of the pork roast, but do not cut through to the other side. Lay it flat and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound to about 1/2 inch thickness. Brush with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the pork. Roll up, starting with the short side and secure with kitchen twine.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes, until the center reads 140 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest while you prepare the glaze.
For the glaze
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Let cook at a boil, continuing to stir, until the sauce thickens, about 5-8 minutes.
To serve
Slice the pork into about 1 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon the balsamic cherry glaze over the top.