Sage and Rosemary Pork

Well, in our case it was thyme and rosemary pork. The thought of butterflying a pork loin has always been intimidating to me. And while I believe I started the initial cut a little too thick, the entire process was a lot easier than I thought it be. (For a step by step photo tutorial, check out this site.)

Adapted from The South Beach Diet Cookbook by Arther Agatston, M.D.

serves 6

The Ingredients:
filling
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
pork loin
1 boneless center cut loin pork roast (about 2 lbs)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

The Process
To make the filling: in a small bowl combine the parsley, sage or thyme, rosemary, garlic, oil, mustard, salt and pepper.

The prep the pork loin: preheat the oven to 350

Butterfly the loin. Sprinkle the top side of the loin with half of the salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly across the loin, leaving about a 1/2" border along the edge where you made the first cut.

Beginning on the opposite edge, roll the loin up to wrap the filling. Using kitchen twine, tie the loin every 1 1/2" to hold it's shape

Rub the loin with the oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Place the loin in a small roasting pan and position on the center rack of the oven. Roast for one hour or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 155 and the juices run clear. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

My Modifications:
Our loin was just over a pound which was perfect for two people, with some leftovers remaining. However, the only ingredients I reduced to accommodate the smaller roast size was the oil, salt and pepper. And we used fresh thyme in lieu of the sage.

The Review:
The roast was well received, accompanied by garlic roasted potatoes for Ross and steamed broccoli for myself. I don't regret not reducing the herbs in the filling for the smaller roast. The flavor was in no way overpowering. And now that I've tried the butterflying and filling technique, I eager to explore other flavor combinations!