Life has been moving pretty fast around here, and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. One of the biggest things to fall away has been time to cook, so when I have a chance I go big. We had done chicken a couple of times already, so I wanted to do either pork or beef and when I came across this recipe from Food Network Magazine it was the winner. I paired it with rice because it was quick and easy while being a healthier starch for the family than potatoes. I touched up my grandmothers old green bean and bacon recipe with some garlic, panko bread crumbs and lemon.
Bacon-Wrapped Blackberry Pork Roast
ACTIVE TIME
2 hours 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME
4 hours
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup blackberry preserves
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 4 -to-5-pound boneless center-cut pork loin, trimmed
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 2 red onions, quartered
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons instant flour (such as Wondra)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinade
- Combine the preserves, 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Poke the pork in a few spots with a paring knife, then rub with the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Rub the pork all over with the preserves mixture, then transfer to a large resealable bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preperation
- About 20 minutes before roasting, remove the pork from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the red onions in a metal roasting pan and set a rack on top. Wrap the pork with the bacon (see below), then set on the rack. Roast until the bacon is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the gravy: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour until incorporated. Add the chicken broth and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the twine and slice the pork. Serve with the onions and gravy.
How to wrap pork:
- Lay the bacon slices over the pork, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under.
- Tie a piece of kitchen twine around each slice to secure it.
Green Beans with Pancetta
Dress up beans by adding flavor and crunch with bacon and panko
ACTIVE TIME
5 minutes
TOTAL TIME
25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/4 p green beans, trimmed
- 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Freshly ground pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain again, then transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
- Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute.
- Add the green beans to the skillet and cook, stirring, until evenly coated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pancetta and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
his was an awesome dinner, and the family not only ate it up, but went through the leftovers too. I know it looks intimidating to wrap the pork in bacon, but it really isn't very hard to throw together. Give it a try, you're just a few hours away from Fat Boy Heaven.