My son’s motto is “bury me in bacon.” He would eat it every day, if it weren’t for his mama. When he sees a package of bacon on the counter and me getting pots and pans out to make dinner, he asks if we are having bacon. He has learned, however, to follow that question up with, “is it going in something?” It is the bane of his existence that I use bacon as an ingredient instead of as a focal point.
When he saw this pork loin ready to go into the oven, his eyes got big. I could see the wheels turning in his mind. Then, just as quickly, the hope died and he asked tentatively, “What did you wrap with the bacon?” I don’t know what he expected me to say. Honestly, it was a huge roasty looking lump – what could it have been besides meat? Knowing what he thinks of my recipe development, though, he might have been thinking lentils or broccoli or even watermelon. I replied that it was pork and the instant relief on his face was comical.
This pork gets a brine soak for a few hours before the bacon wrap. It’s almost like spa treatment for a roast. Soak it in a salty, spice laden bath, then wrap it tight in bacon to seal in the juices. The result is an über moist, flavorful meal perfect for any occasion.
Be careful when you carve the roast. I sliced mine down the middle lengthwise and then sliced each half. The bacon may slide off if you are rough. Slowly cutting and lifting it onto each plate with ensure the bacon stays with it’s appointed pork partner. Also, watch out for marauding children who sneak into the kitchen and snick pieces of bacon off the remaining roast before it is put into the fridge.
1. Info for Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Roast
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: unavailable
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Roast
- 2-3 pound boneless pork loin roast
- ⅓ cup salt
- ⅓ cup agave nectar or honey
- 8 whole juniper berries
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- water for brine
- 8-10 slices bacon
3. Directions:
- Place salt, agave, juniper, cloves, rosemary and roast in a gallon size zip close plastic bag.
- Fill it with enough water to cover the meat completely.
- Seal the bag closed and put it in a bowl in the fridge for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, get out the bacon and overlap the strips in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Remove the meat from the brine, making sure no cloves or juniper berries are clinging to it.
- Place the meat on top or the bacon.
- Wrap each strip of bacon up and over the roast.
- Carefully flip the wrapped roast over so the seam of bacon is on the bottom.
- Bake at 325 degrees until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 160 degrees (about 2 hours).
- Let it rest 10 minutes before you carve it to serve.
