Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin

Cornbread and collard greens add extra Southern flavor to this juicy pork loin.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin
 
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 cups collard greens, stemmed
  • 2 cups cubed cornbread
  • ½ cup chopped yellow onion
  • ⅓ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 head garlic
  • ⅓ cup apple cider
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Place pork loin lengthwise on a work surface. With your knife about ¾ inch above bottom of pork, slice lengthwise, keeping your blade parallel to surface, cutting to but not through the other side. Unfold pork loin. Working with the larger half, continue slicing pork loin, unrolling as you go, until pork loin is flat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss together collards, cornbread, onion, broth, vinegar, red pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Spread stuffing mixture to within ½ inch of edges of tenderloin. Starting with one long side, tightly roll up meat and filling. Wrap bacon around pork loin, and tie together at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine.
  3. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, cook pork loin over medium heat until bacon is browned on all sides. Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cut ⅓ inch off top end of garlic. Place garlic, cider, and rosemary in slow cooker. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°, about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with roasted garlic and rosemary, if desired.

Find more recipes made for your holiday table in our newest issue of Taste of the South magazine.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Loin or tenderloin? The instructions use both terms.

    Also, will the bacon truly stay browned & crispy in a slow cooker? I want to try this for a dinner party and want the finished dish to be pretty.

Leave a Reply to Danny Dubuisson Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Rate this recipe:  

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.