Apple and Corn Bread-Stuffed Pork Loin

By rossboys

Cooking Light.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup diced peeled Granny Smith apple
• 1-1/2 cups corn bread stuffing mix (such as Pepperidge Farm)
• 1-1/3 cups apple juice or cider, divided
• 1-1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage, divided
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 (4 lb) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 deg.

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and 1/8 tsp pepper; cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add diced apple; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Place apple mixture in a large bowl, and cool slightly. Stir in the stuffing mix, 1/3 cup juice, 1/2 tsp sage, and egg; set aside.

Starting off-center, slice pork length-wise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open butterflied portions, laying pork flat. Turning knife blade parallel to surface of cutting board, slice larger portion of pork in half horizontally, cutting to, but not through, other side; open flat. Place plastic wrap over pork, pound to 1" thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.

Spread stuffing over pork, leaving a 1/2" margin around outside edges. Roll up pork, jelly-roll fashion, starting with a long side. Secure at 2" intervals with twine. Combine 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp sage, and 1 tsp salt; rub over pork.

Arrange apple wedges in a single layer on bottom of broiler pan coated with cooking spray; place pork on apples. Bake at 450 deg for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 deg (do not remove pork from oven). Bake an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes or until meat registers 155 deg. Remove pork from pan; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Discard apple wedges.

Combine 1 cup juice, cornstarch, and broth in a small saucepan; stir with a whisk. Bring broth mixture to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in 1/8 tsp black pepper. Cut pork into 1/2" slices, and serve with sauce.