Michael N.
New member
I did this for an annual gathering of fellow Bourbon enthusiasts in May.
Bourbon-Dried Cherry Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
- Thread starter Michael N.
- Start date
Mike Coffman
TVWBB Olympian
WOW Michael that is fantastic! Something new for me to try with my "bacon addiction".
Russell McNeely
TVWBB Wizard
Looks awesome! Great job!
John Solak
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Those loin roasts look perfect, Well done!!
Andy Beers
TVWBB Diamond Member
That looks awesome
Michael N.
New member
Thank you for the kind comments. This started out as something I was messing with for pork tenderloins then I decided to try it with a boneless loin.
I started the stuffing by sweating finely diced onion in butter then added a little garlic. After that came the dried cherries and some golden raisins. Then I added the ground bits I removed when cutting the holes (more on this later) I dumped some bourbon in and let it cook down until it was almost dry. The cherries were terribly tart so I balanced that out with some honey and finished it with some pecans and a little bit of bread crumbs to bind it. Then I seasoned it with salt and pepper and let it cool.
I thought about cutting and rolling the pork loins, but I really wanted to keep the loin intact like I was able to do with the tenderloins. For that I bought a length of 1" copper pipe and took a Dremel to one end to give it a little sharpness. I sanded it down, washed it and sanitized it then worked it through the loin with a gentle twisting motion. The result was a nice, circular tube in the center of the loin. I also bought a length of 7/8" wooden dowel which I washed and sanitized so I could remove the foot long chunk of pork from the copper pipe.
From there I just started working the stuffing into the pork loins until it came out the other side.
I seasoned the pork loins with my standard BBQ rub then wrapped them in bacon. I used Activa (or meat glue) to fix the bacon to the pork loin. For those who don't know, Activa is an enzyme called transglutiminase which effectively fuses proteins together. Once I wrapped the loins I sealed them in the Foodsaver to apply a little pressure and refrigerated them overnight, giving the Activa time to work. That is how I got such a great looking bond with the bacon.
The cook was done at 250 degrees for about 2.5 to 3 hours with apple wood. I pulled them at about 155 degrees. (I would have pulled them 5 to 10 degrees sooner but I was busy BS'ing with folks I hadn't seen in a year
Toward the end of the cook I started brushing them with a mixture of 2 parts maple syrup to 1 part bourbon. (I used Old Pogue)
Sliced with my trusty electric knife and there you have it. Here are the rest of the pics:
And lastly, here are a couple of the pork tenderloins that I did as kind of a dry run. These were done without the Activa, though and they didn't have the Bourbon-Maple glaze, either.
I started the stuffing by sweating finely diced onion in butter then added a little garlic. After that came the dried cherries and some golden raisins. Then I added the ground bits I removed when cutting the holes (more on this later) I dumped some bourbon in and let it cook down until it was almost dry. The cherries were terribly tart so I balanced that out with some honey and finished it with some pecans and a little bit of bread crumbs to bind it. Then I seasoned it with salt and pepper and let it cool.
I thought about cutting and rolling the pork loins, but I really wanted to keep the loin intact like I was able to do with the tenderloins. For that I bought a length of 1" copper pipe and took a Dremel to one end to give it a little sharpness. I sanded it down, washed it and sanitized it then worked it through the loin with a gentle twisting motion. The result was a nice, circular tube in the center of the loin. I also bought a length of 7/8" wooden dowel which I washed and sanitized so I could remove the foot long chunk of pork from the copper pipe.
From there I just started working the stuffing into the pork loins until it came out the other side.
I seasoned the pork loins with my standard BBQ rub then wrapped them in bacon. I used Activa (or meat glue) to fix the bacon to the pork loin. For those who don't know, Activa is an enzyme called transglutiminase which effectively fuses proteins together. Once I wrapped the loins I sealed them in the Foodsaver to apply a little pressure and refrigerated them overnight, giving the Activa time to work. That is how I got such a great looking bond with the bacon.
The cook was done at 250 degrees for about 2.5 to 3 hours with apple wood. I pulled them at about 155 degrees. (I would have pulled them 5 to 10 degrees sooner but I was busy BS'ing with folks I hadn't seen in a year
Sliced with my trusty electric knife and there you have it. Here are the rest of the pics:
And lastly, here are a couple of the pork tenderloins that I did as kind of a dry run. These were done without the Activa, though and they didn't have the Bourbon-Maple glaze, either.
Michael N.
New member
Thank you Michael, i will order a package right away !!!
Also, yesterday we were celebrating the "St-Jean-Baptiste" over here and i made a spin from your recipe !
i stuffed a pork loin (center cut) with chipotle and maple saucage, wrapped it bacon ... since i had no "meat glue", i used a string ... very good !
soon i'll try stuffing it with the copper pipe
Also, yesterday we were celebrating the "St-Jean-Baptiste" over here and i made a spin from your recipe !
i stuffed a pork loin (center cut) with chipotle and maple saucage, wrapped it bacon ... since i had no "meat glue", i used a string ... very good !
soon i'll try stuffing it with the copper pipe
Timothy Hoffman
TVWBB All-Star
I have seen people use a honing steel to make a cavity in a loin but never the pipe method. It all looks fantastic!
Michael N.
New member
Louis, make sure you wear gloves and try not to breathe it in. It's not poison, but it does react with protein...
Also, just noticed where you are from. My wife and I honeymooned there. What a beautiful part of the world.
Also, just noticed where you are from. My wife and I honeymooned there. What a beautiful part of the world.
Michael N.
New member
Sorry, Louis the Activa is what you want to wear gloves for. It's not necessary but it does tend to make your hands awfully sticky.
And thanks for the invite.
the missus and I always said that if we hit the lottery we'd learn French and retire to Quebec. We're not holding our breath, though...
And thanks for the invite.