Cast Iron Herb-Stuffed Boneless Pork Loin
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on July 10, 2017
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour marinating, and 20 minute resting
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar Salt and pepper 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)¾ cup minced fresh parsley ½ cup chopped fresh basil ¼ cup capers, rinsed and minced3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced1 (3- to 4- pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmedLemon wedges
Before You Begin
Look for an evenly shaped roast that is 8 to 9 inches long; it will fit best in the skillet. If your roast has a thick layer of fat on top, trim the fat until it measures about ¼ inch thick.
Instructions
- Combine sugar and 1½ teaspoons salt in bowl. Heat ¼ cup oil and garlic in 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until garlic is tender and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer garlic oil to medium bowl, let cool slightly, then stir in Parmesan, parsley, basil, capers, anchovies, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Position roast fat side up on cutting board. Insert knife one-third of way up from bottom of roast along 1 long side and cut horizontally, stopping ½ inch from edge. Open roast and press flat; 1 side will be twice as thick. Continue cutting thicker side of roast in half, stopping ½ inch from edge; open roast and press flat.
- Sprinkle cut surface of roast with half of sugar-salt mixture, then spread herb mixture evenly over meat, leaving ½-inch border on all sides. Starting from short side farthest from exterior fat cap, roll roast tightly, then tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle with remaining sugar-salt mixture. Wrap roast tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat now-empty skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Flip roast fat side down, transfer skillet to oven, and roast until meat registers 135 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes, flipping roast halfway through roasting.
- Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove twine from roast and slice ½ inch thick. Serve with lemon wedges.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour marinating, and 20 minute restingYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
¾ cup minced fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup capers, rinsed and minced
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
1 (3- to 4- pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
Lemon wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
¾ cup minced fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup capers, rinsed and minced
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
1 (3- to 4- pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
Lemon wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
¾ cup minced fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup capers, rinsed and minced
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
1 (3- to 4- pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
Lemon wedges
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
A good pork loin roast makes an impressive dinner, but the leanness and mild flavor of this cut can cause problems. To avoid any pitfalls, we started by rubbing the pork with salt and sugar to season the meat and promote browning. To give every bite plenty of flavor, we butterflied the roast, coated its interior with an herb-Parmesan paste, then rolled it up and tied it. Searing the meat on the stovetop before finishing it in a low oven yielded a tender interior with a crispy crust.
Before You Begin
Look for an evenly shaped roast that is 8 to 9 inches long; it will fit best in the skillet. If your roast has a thick layer of fat on top, trim the fat until it measures about ¼ inch thick.
Instructions
- Combine sugar and 1½ teaspoons salt in bowl. Heat ¼ cup oil and garlic in 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until garlic is tender and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer garlic oil to medium bowl, let cool slightly, then stir in Parmesan, parsley, basil, capers, anchovies, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Position roast fat side up on cutting board. Insert knife one-third of way up from bottom of roast along 1 long side and cut horizontally, stopping ½ inch from edge. Open roast and press flat; 1 side will be twice as thick. Continue cutting thicker side of roast in half, stopping ½ inch from edge; open roast and press flat.
- Sprinkle cut surface of roast with half of sugar-salt mixture, then spread herb mixture evenly over meat, leaving ½-inch border on all sides. Starting from short side farthest from exterior fat cap, roll roast tightly, then tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle with remaining sugar-salt mixture. Wrap roast tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat now-empty skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Flip roast fat side down, transfer skillet to oven, and roast until meat registers 135 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes, flipping roast halfway through roasting.
- Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove twine from roast and slice ½ inch thick. Serve with lemon wedges.
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