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Active Time
1/2 hr
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Total Time
3 1/2 hr
Ever dream about bringing an impressive roast to the holiday table with equally impressive ease? Now you can. Stuffing and preparing the pork a day ahead leaves you free to entertain and makes the meat especially flavorful as well. Bacon wrapped around the roast keeps it moist as it cooks. Prunes and dried apricots simmered in Port bring a fruity but not overly sweet intensity to the pork and its sauce.
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
For stuffing:
For roast:
For port sauce:
Make stuffing:
Step 1
Simmer apricots, prunes, and Port in a small heavy saucepan, covered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
Step 2
Cook onion and shallot in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add apple and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until apple is just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in apricot mixture and cool.
Stuff and roast pork:
Step 3
Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
Step 4
Make a pocket in center of roast by making a horizontal 1 1/2-inch-wide cut into 1 end of roast with a long thin knife, repeating from opposite end so pocket runs all the way through. Then make a vertical cut through center (forming a cross) to widen pocket. Push about 1 cup stuffing into pocket using a long-handled wooden spoon (you may need to stuff from both sides if roast is long). Reserve remaining stuffing for sauce.
Step 5
烤1 1/2茶匙盐和1/2茶spoon pepper and put in a large flameproof roasting pan. Wrap with bacon, between rib bones, tucking ends under roast. Roast pork 20 minutes, then reduce oven to 325°F and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of roast (do not touch bone or stuffing) registers 155°F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours total.
Step 6
Transfer roast to a cutting board, reserving pan, and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature of meat will rise to about 160°F; meat will be slightly pink.)
Make sauce:
Step 7
Skim fat from pan drippings and reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons fat. Straddle pan across 2 burners and add Port to drippings, then deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Strain pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
Step 8
Cook shallot in reserved fat in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in pan juices, 1 1/4 cups water, and reserved fruit stuffing and bring to a simmer. Whisk together arrowroot and remaining 1/4 cup water until smooth, then whisk into sauce with any juices from cutting board.
Step 9
Simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 10
Carve roast into chops by cutting between ribs, then serve with sauce.
•Stuffing can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.
•Uncooked roast improves in flavor if stuffed, seasoned, and wrapped with bacon 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before roasting.
How would you rate Pork Roast with Winter Fruits and Port Sauce?
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Reviews (59)
Back to TopI’ve been making this recipe for easily 15 years - big loin for large gathering and easily reduced for smaller size roast. It is a superb one for any holiday or other large gathering. Served with southern Spoonbread (the kind made with whipped egg whites) and any simple green vegetable.
Milton Kidd
Wilton, Maine
12/20/2022
Let me start with: I liked it. My family wasn't into it; I think they would have preferred savory pork, rather than fruity. (But I was trying to expand their horizons--I was dealing with boys aged 3 and 6.) Everything was very buttery. The sauce at the end was good, and I enjoyed the richness of it, but felt overfull after a fairly small portion. All-in-all, I don't think this was worth using 1+ cups of port--I'd much rather drink it! Also, a note, I used two tenderloins (about 1.25 lbs each). Sliced each one down the middle, pounded the meat flat, filled with maybe 1/2 cup of stuffing, draped two slices of bacon across the top, and secured with twine. Seared bacon-side down in a skillet and then baked on a sheet at 425. (I don't remember how long; sorry!). I probably overcooked it b/c I was concerned about the temp of the stuffing. Shouldn't it reach 155 too? I wish the instructions commented on its safe temperature.
lblasdel
Boise
12/26/2018
I made this for Christmas Eve, and while it looked spectacular, it was way too sweet for my taste. If I do something like this again, I will use a dry red wine to make the stuffing and the sauce, as the overall effect of the fruit and the port was cloying.
Anonymous
Nowhere in particular
12/26/2014
This turned out great, but did take less time to cook than I thought so check it early. I did most of the work the day before and then popped it in the oven to cook before our meal (I took it out to rest for about 45-60 minutes to come to room temperature first).
Meredith79
Sterling, VA
1/2/2014
Recipe seemed pretty involved but now that I have made it once, it will be easier next time. I used two small tenderloins, which I cut almost thru the long way, pounded flat, spread with a cup of the stuffing. Putting the two pieces of meat side by side, I then rolled them up. I laid the bacon (thick applewood smoked which I had pre-cooked about half-way) over the roll and secured the whole thing with bamboo skewers. Wrapped tightly in plastic overnight. Because tenderloin is so lean, there were not a lot of drippings for the sauce, but it tasted great anyway. Everybody loved it and it is pretty enough for a fancy dinner party or a holiday. GREAT that you can do a lot of it ahead.
denver1
Denver, CO
1/1/2014
Everyone liked this at Christmas. I wouldn't call it easy, though¿roasting a chicken is easy. Worth it, and quite frankly difficult to screw up because the flavor combination is so appealing (sweet, salty, savory).
teacherhansen
St. Paul, MN
12/28/2013
Made this for Xmas dinner and it was delicious, felt festive and special. Family all raved about it too! Had to modify the dried fruit combo, but the sweet/salty balance is what matters most. Sooo good & relatively easy!
itskgd
San Carlos, CA
11/29/2013
Made with 18 oz. Pork Tenderloin. After stuffing and wrapping with 2 slices bacon, tied with kitchen string. I prefer bacon crisp so to cook just pan seared all sides on medium heat and then simmered, covered - about 20 minutes total. The fat from the bacon was a great base for the sauce. It turned out excellent.
dherron
grand rapids
3/27/2013
I asked my butcher to "chime" the roast for me. Delicious I'm going to make it for New Years Eve
traceyrg
Long Island, New York
12/29/2012
I made this last night for a party. I substituted cranberries for prunes and used tenderloins. We cut them and pounded them and then rolled 2 together to make 1 larger roast. The spiral of filling was pretty. It was a big hit.
Anonymous
Dallas, TX
12/19/2012
The was fantastic.. and so easy.. did not have shallot or granny smith apple.. and used a mix of dried fruits- pear, plum, apple, apricot... perfection! cannot wait to make this with missing items..
Maryblaise
Madison, CT
12/8/2012
Spectacular. Tastes amazing, plates beautifully. A perfect autumn main course if Id not just made it, this would definitely be headlining our Thanksgiving meal.
EricaMmm
Ess Eff
11/4/2011
I made this for a New Year's Eve party, served with the Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root and Mascarpone recipe on this site. A perfect combination. The pork roast with fruit and port sauce was a beautifully intense mix of flavours. Really delicious.
breadislove
Richmond Hill ON Canada
3/10/2011
I served this with roasted carrot and an arugla salad. Looked beautiful on the plate and delicious the next day! I thought the dish was a tad to "jammy" from all the of the dried fruit though because I skipped the bacon to save on fat and calories. I think this was a crucial element that would have balance the sweet.
thearnest
Yorba Linda, CA
2/14/2011
I have to give this a five out of four fork rating...I read reviews from others and was not sure it could be that great. The only change I made was adding cherries in addition to the other fruit. For anyone unsure about stuffing, I would use a boneless tenderloin, cut it part way through, stuff in between the top and bottom then sew it together or tie it with string. The sauce with fruit added is to die for!
c_middlebrook
2/6/2011
