Recipe: Apple Apricot Stuffed Pork Loin , Beer-Braised Pork Loin, Roast Pork Loin, Apple Glazed Pork Loin for Nancy.

Apple Apricot Stuffed Pork Loin (Grilled)
Not only does this stuffed pork loin recipe give you a beautiful looking dish but the combination of the fruit flavor from the tart Granny Smith apple and the sweetness of the apricots and the Italian inspired seasonings make this a delicious meal.

2 pounds pork loin roast
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
6 dried apricots, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage)
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Trim pork loin of fat and sheath. Butterfly or roll cut the pork loin. If you butterfly it, pound it to about 1 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the apple, apricots, parmesan cheese and sage. Mix well. Spread mixture over the pork. Roll the pork loin back up and tie with kitchen twine. Space the string about 2 inches apart. Secure the stuffed pork loin tightly. Preheat grill and prepare for indirect grilling. Coat the outside of the pork loin roast with olive oil. Let the stuffed pork loin roast sit for about 15 to 20 minutes before you place it on the grill.

Preheat grill. Place the stuffed pork loin over the direct heat on your grill to brown the outside. Roll so that the entire surface gets about 2 minutes of direct heat. Transfer to the indirect portion of the grill and continue grilling for about 30 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant read meat thermometer. Remember to take several readings from the center of the pork loin and to consider the lowest to be accurate.

Remove the stuffed pork loin roast from the grill. Let is stand for about 5 minutes, then carve pork loin into even slices end to end. Make the slices about 1 inch thick and use a very sharp knife so you can get a good slice that shows the spiral of the stuffed pork loin.

Beer-Braised Pork Loin

1 pork loin roast, about 5 pounds
3 cups chopped onion
4 to 6 carrots, pared and diced
12 ounces dark beer
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves

Brown pork loin roast in hot oil in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from pan. Saut onions ad carrots until softened; stir in beer, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and whole cloves. Return pork to pan or Dutch oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 2 hours, or until pork is tender. Place pork loin on a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour cooking liquid from pan into a large bowl; skim off fat and remove bay leaf. Place liquid with vegetables into a blender; cover and process at low speed until smooth. Or, press through sieve or process in food processor in batches.

Pour processed beer sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Spoon sauce over sliced pork to serve. Pork loin recipe serves 8.

Roast Pork Loin

Mirepoix:
2 cups carrots in 1/4-inch dice
2 cups celery in 1/4-inch dice
2 cups onion in 1/4-inch dice
3 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns

Meat:
2 1/2 to 3 pounds lean, center-cut fresh pork loin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence*
6 cups salt-reduced beef broth, divided use

Preheat oven to 325*F (160*C). Combine mirepoix ingredients; set aside. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet. Brown pork on all sides on medium-high heat. Combine jam, garlic, mustard and herbs; rub all over roast. Set aside. Place mirepoix mixture in a roasting pan. Place in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are starting to soften. Place pork on top of vegetables, fat side up. Add 3 cups broth to vegetables; cover and braise in oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until pork has an internal temperature of 150 to 155*F (65 - 70*C). Remove from oven. Remove pork from pan and cover it to keep it warm (the internal temperature will rise about 5 degrees as it rests out of the oven). Transfer vegetables to pot or Dutch oven. Add 3 cups broth to vegetables. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat and boil gently about 30 minutes. Strain, pushing down on mixture to squeeze out as much juice as possible; the sauce will almost be like a puree. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cut pork into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange on platter and pour some of sauce over the top. Serve remaining sauce in a sauceboat on the side. Yield: 6 servings.

*Herbes de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs commonly used in southern France. It's commonly a mixture of thyme, marjoram, oregano, lavender, and summer savory. It's sold at some supermarkets, gourmet shops and import stores such as Cost Plus. Or you can substitute your favorite spice blend.

APPLE GLAZED PORK LOIN

3 pound boneless pork loin (not tenderloin)
Cajun seasoning

Glaze
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup Brandy
4 cups apple juice or cider
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Season pork with Cajun seasoning. Combine the GLAZE ingredients, except the cornstarch and water, in a sauce pan and bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute. Whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add to the hot glaze mix and continue cooking for another minute. Let this cool COMPLETELY. Place the pork in a large Zip-loc bag and add marinade and let sit overnight. Remove pork, reserving the marinade, and allow to come to room temp. Preheat your grill to 450 degrees F. Place the pork on the grill and sear for 5 minutes. Turn over and sear for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to 400 degrees F and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 145-155 degrees F, basting every 15 minutes using the reserved marinade. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.