Stuffed Pork Loin Roll

The southern influence on this dish cannot be denied; Cajun spices, Mustard Greens and thick brown gravy, bless MY heart! How can something that tastes this good not be bad for you? Okay so it’s not health food, but let’s be clear, this is not a diet recipe blog. However making good choices about the ingredients we use is important to eating well and taking care of ourselves.

My recipes do contain salt, my recipes do use fats and because I use these I also use little if any prepared ingredients, preferring instead to make many of my pantry staples at home where I can control what goes into them. So, in this dish I get to eat roasted pork richly flavored by the spicy tang of the greens it’s wrapped around.

Serve this up with Creamed Corn Bread Casserole and Red Beans and Rice and you'll have a real Southern feast!


Stuffed Pork Loin Roll
Yield: 4 Servings     Preparation Time: 20 Minutes     Cooking Time: 35 to 45 Minutes


Ingredients

• 1 Pork Loin Filet (1 – 1½ Pound), butterflied and pounded to about ½” thick
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Cups Cooked Mustard Greens (see recipe below)
• 1 Teaspoon + 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 2 Teaspoon Homemade Cajun Spicy Seasoning, see recipe in Tips and Trending

• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 Small Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves Roasted Garlic, mashed
• 2½ Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Cups Beef Stock, homemade or low sodium store bought
• 1 Small Bunch Green Onions, chopped for garnish


Preparation Steps


Step 1. Preheat oven to 400ºF

Step 2. Lay the flattened Pork Loin Filet out and side the top side only with Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper. Spread the Cooked Mustard Greens on top of the Pork up to ½” from the edges.

Step 3. Roll up the Filet, like a jelly roll and tie with kitchen string to keep closed.

Step 4. Rub the rolled Pork all over with 1 teaspoon of Canola Oil and then with the Cajun Spicy Seasoning

Step 5. In a roasting pan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Canola Oil and when the oil is hot sear the meat on all sides for 1 minute per side.

Step 6. Roast uncovered for 35 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 155ºF. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Step 7. Put the Dutch oven over medium heat and add the Unsalted Butter to melt into the pan drippings. Add the chopped Onions and Roasted Garlic and cook for 2 minutes until the Onions soften. Sprinkle the All-Purpose Flour over the Onions and cook for 1 minute whisking the whole time to form a roux. Add the Beef Stock and cook still whisking until the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in any juices that have not reabsorbed into the Pork.

Step 8. Remove the kitchen string and slice the roast into pinwheels. Lay in a pool of the gravy and topped with chopped green onions.


Southern Braised Mustard Greens
Servings: 4 (½ cup each)      Preparation Time: 15 Minutes      Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 


Ingredients  
• 1 Medium Onion, 2 paper thin slices and the remainder diced
• 2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar 
• ⅔ Pound Bacon, finely diced

• 2 Cloves Roasted Garlic, mashed
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 Pound Mustard Greens, rinsed well and stems removed
• ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ⅛ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, crushed in Mortar & Pestle

• ½ Cup Beer

• 2 Teaspoons Molasses
• ⅛ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
 
Preparation Steps
 
Step 1. Place the Onion Slices in a shallow bowl and add 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar. Set aside.

Step 2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the Bacon until crisp. Remove 1 tablespoon of the cooked Bacon crumbles and set aside with the Onion slices.
 
Step 3. Add the Onions to the pan with the Bacon and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the Roasted Garlic and cook for 30 seconds stirring the entire time.
 
Step 4. Stir in the Brown Sugar and cook until melted.

Step 5. Add the Mustard Greens, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, crushed Red Pepper Flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar, Beer, Molasses and Kosher Salt and toss to coat. Toss with tongs until the Greens begin to wilt then lower the heat to medium and cook covered for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste.


Tips and Trending

Cajun Spicy Seasoning 
(Yield is ⅓ Cup, more than you’ll need for this recipe, but this is great to keep on hand!)

• 2½ Tablespoons Sweet Hungarian Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cayenne Pepper

• 1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

Put all the ingredients in an airtight container and shake to combine.

~ Try using the same mustard greens stuffing and Cajun spices with stuffed pork chops. Bake the chops until rare and then finish them on the grill by putting a good char on the outside. You won’t have much in the way of drippings with which to make gravy, but you can still follow the procedure in Step 7 above to make a really tasty sauce to accompany the chops.