Festive Pork Loin
This pork loin isn’t festive in that it’s holiday-oriented, it’s just festive because it’s a perfect dish for a celebration. The more correct name would be Moscato-Braised Pork Loin with Prosciutto and Gruyère.
The recipe came from the book Rotis, by Stephane Reynaud. I had previously purchased his cookbook Barbecue & Grill, and enjoyed it, so I decided to try another one of his books. He’s quite the prolific cookbook writer if you check him out on Amazon. He has one book called Tripe.
In any case, I’ve bookmarked many recipes from Rotis, and decided to make this pork loin first. It’s prepared quite simply – browned and braised along with white port. I couldn’t find white port, so I substituted a syrupy moscato I’ve used in sangrias, called Electra, by Quady Vineyards.
I also really liked the addition of bacon and Comté in this roast, but American bacon isn’t the same as the European bacon, so I substituted Prosciutto. Canadian bacon would probably be a more exact substitution. Furthermore, I used Gruyère in place of the Comté.
The presentation is very pretty. It would be a good dish for company if you use an in-the-oven temperature probe. Then there’s just a melting of the cheese and you’re ready to serve.
Moscato-Braised Pork Loin with Prosciutto and Gruyere
Adapted from Rotis by Stephane Reynaud
4 tablespoons bacon fat, divided
2 purple onions, thinly sliced into rings
Pork loin, approximately 2 pounds 10 ounces
Salt, pepper
7 ounces Moscato, or any dessert wine
6 slices Prosciutto
12 ounces Gruyère, sliced into 6 pieces
Thyme, fresh or dried
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
First, sauté the onion rings in 2 tablespoons of bacon fat over medium heat in a large skillet until they’re caramelized. Set them aside.
Next, have your pork loin close to room temperature. Trim a little of the fat if necessary. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in a roasting pan over high heat. Have your ventilation on. Roast the pork loin on one side. Then turn over and sear the other side until well browned.
I also brown the “sides.” After all the browning is complete, pour in the Moscato.
Place the roasting pan in the oven. Use an oven probe if you have one, and set it for 145 degrees. This took about an hour, but I would use a thermometer to prevent overcooking.
About 4 times during this hour I basted the pork with the ever-reducing Moscato jus.
At the point where the thermometer registers 145 degrees, remove the pork from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Have your slices of cheese and Prosciutto handy.
Using a sharp knife, cut into the pork in 6 evenly-spaced crosswise slices, about 2/3 down.
Stuff the prosciutto into the openings.
Then stuff the sliced cheese, and top everything with the caramelized onion rings.
Return to the oven until the cheese melts, which took about 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, place the pork on a cutting board, and drizzle on any remaining jus from the roasting pan.
Let the pork rest for at least ten minutes, and then cut the 7 slices of pork loin for serving.
Because of the more involved recipe of this pork loin, I served it simply with steamed Brussels sprouts.
Make sure the serving of pork includes some Prosciutto, Gruyère, and onions. Sprinkle the servings with fresh or dried thyme, and add a little more black pepper.
note: The above doesn’t show the pork quite like it was when I first prepared the serving on the plate, because I had to keep microwaving the cheese to get it to re-melt for the photos! It was a cold evening, and I guess I just wasn’t fast enough with the camera. Plus it had already gotten dark outside; lesson learned. But if you don’t allow pork to cook beyond 155 degrees, it will be moist, and slightly pink.
Festive indeed! What a gorgeous presentation! I like the use of prosciutto, to me better than bacon in this type of meal.
great post, Mimi!
I agree wholeheartedly! Thanks!
Very nice. :)
Thank you!
Gorgeous! Can’t wait to try! Always such great recipes and great photos Mimi!!!
thank you so much!
This is what we would call a rôti orloff, though it is traditionally made with veal, not pork, but the pork has become a very common, and cheaper, substitute. I’ve never made it myself, and your version using prosciutto looks fabulous. Now I’m really hungry…
Interesting. the author should have mentioned the name! Pork is way less expensive in the US.
You certainly get bonus points for presentation on this one. I love roast pork & this one sounds delicious, especially the melted cheese. I don’t think I’ve heard of white port either but it sounds nice. You know I have to say that I’ve never jumped out of bed in the morning and said “I think I’d like to make tripe today!”.
Exactly!!!
Wow – what a beautiful presentation! And I can commiserate with you about the occasional difficulties with food photography. I once had a tough time photographing dessert crepes with choc. sauce and vanilla ice cream. The choc. sauce was hot and the ice cream kept melting. Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses and print ‘what ya got’. So that’s what I did. This recipe looks so delicious Mimi. Pork tenderloin can be a bit lacking in flavor – but not with this recipe!
And it’s such a simple recipe, too.
I love this dish. It would work perfectly for any holiday celebration. Beautiful presentation, Mimi.
Thanks!
Nice dish that reminds me a bit of cordon bleu. How did the sweet wine work with the pork, prosciutto and cheese?
Very well. Although I would have loved to try white port. There was enough savory from the browning, that the resulting reduction wasn’t just like a syrup. That’s also why I included thyme.
Just a fabulous combination, am I right?!!
hahahaha! wait… are you serious?!!
Thanks!
Thanks. And so simple!
Damn delicious pork loin!!!
looks so freakinglicious…
You’re so funny! Thank you!
This dish is a total babe, Mimi. You’re totally right (but I wouldn’t pass up on that tripe :) )
I must reconnect with tripe…
Thanks!
Wow! Looks delicious, will have to look into this cookbook. Do you need to cook to 145F in order for the loin to not leak juices when you cut the slits for stuffing? I’m always very reluctant to cook pork above 140 for fear of overcooking.
Interesting. And I thought I was a rebel. Stefan cooks his pork to 141 degrees. I sous vide pork loin at 140 degrees. But when cooking in the oven, I’ve always taken it out at 155, which is ten degrees below the “recommended” 165 degrees. As long as I do this, the pork is slightly pink, and very moist. But since you’re the second person/great cook to suggest 140 or 145, I must try it. thanks
I just re-read your comment and I think I misunderstood. I cooked the pork to 145 degrees, because the slabs of Gruyere took some time to melt, and so with the 15 minutes getting the cheese to melt, it needed to be slightly “undercooked” to allow for that extra time in the oven. No juices came out at 145 degrees, but I did let the meat rest a bit…
I’m so honored! Thanks!