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Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is a time when we all rush out to get flowers, chocolate, cards, jewelry and any other item that might show our darling just how we feel. While I am a big fan of all of the aforementioned items, I have to say that this year we took a different path on Valentine’s Day.
This year, Ben and I decided to show our love with the true superhero of food: Pork! “Such a sweet meat!”
“Pork – no animal is more used for nourishment and none more indispensable in the kitchen; employed either fresh or salt, all is useful, even to its bristles and its blood; it is the superfluous riches of the farmer, and helps to pay the rent of the cottager.”
Alexis Soyer 19th century French chef.
‘The Modern Housewife’ (1851)
What else could show true love more than a boneless pork roast stuffed with sausage and sage and then wrapped in bacon?
Valentine's Stuffed Pork Roast
Valentine’s Pork Roast
- 1 large boneless pork loin roast
- 2 – 3 Italian sausages, casings discarded
- 2 large shallots
- 6 large fresh sage sprigs, plus 4 to chop up
- Bacon
- 1 ½ cups white wine
- Peeled carrots
- Washed and quartered potatoes
- Salt
- Pepper
- Kitchen string
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Chop shallots and four sage leaves up and toss together. Toss this mixture with the sausage to create the stuffing.
Cut the pork roast open through the middle to create a crevice to put the stuffing in.
Rub pork, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Put the stuffing mixture inside the cut roast. Roll the roast back together with the cut side facing up. On top of the incision drape the six large sage leaves across the roast covering the cut. Then cover the entire top of the roast in bacon. Next tie the roast together with kitchen string.
Pork Roast Covered in Sage
Cutting the Bacon to place on the Pork Roast
Covering the Roast with Bacon
Starting to tie the roast together
Finishing up
Put roast, bacon side up, in a large roasting pan with carrots and potatoes, then pour in wine. Roast 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to roast, basting meat every 10 minutes or so with the pan drippings, until a meat thermometer registers 155°F, about 1 – 2 hours more. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve with pan juices and roasted vegetables.
Roasting time!
Testing the finished roast
Growing Up Julia 