Pork Loin Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Bleu and Cornbread

Pork Loin Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Bleu and Cornbread:

After you check out this yummy recipe, go see all the other wonderful "foodie friday" recipies at Designs by Gollum!


This recipe just screams “FALL”!!!! I made this for my boy’s birthday meal (see blog 10-7) and everyone gave it 2 enthusiastic thumbs up.


I adapted this recipe from one made by Robin Miller, food network. But I can’t leave a recipe alone- so I made it my own. This recipe is worth the effort and has that WOW factor.


I doubled this recipe to feed 10 with leftovers.

¼ lb bacon, cut in 1-2 inch pieces
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 apple, cored, peeled and cubed
1 diced medium onion
1 cup dried cornbread stuffing mix
¼ cup bleu cheese
3 TBS freshly chopped sage leaves, divided (use 1TBS for sauce)
¼ cup chicken stock
1 (4 lb) pork loin
Salt and pepper
For sauce:
1 cup chicken stock
¼ dry sherry ( I would also use cream sherry or Madeira wine)
1TBS cornstarch

Pork Loin:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat roasting pan with cooking spray.Cook bacon in pan until crisp. Remove from pan and let cool, crumble, set aside. In pan with bacon fat, add squash, onions and apple and cook 5-7 minutes, over med heat until onions are soft.

Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl. Add crumbled bacon, cornbread, bleu cheese, 2TBS sage leaves, ¼ cup chicken stock and salt and pepper. Mix gently.

Butterfly pork loin. Using a long, sharp knife make a lengthwise cut into the top 1/3 of the pork loin and cut through the pork loin until you are close (1 inch) to the opposite lengthwise edge.

Cut into the 2/3 thickness of the pork loin-starting at the thick part at the fold line. Cut the 2/3 thickness in half lengthwise until you are close (1 inch) to the opposite lengthwise edge. Open the pork loin up.

It will be 3 x’s as wide but 3 x’s thinner.
*VERY IMPORTANT- YOU CAN ASK YOUR BUTCHER TO BUTTERFLY YOUR PORK LOIN. I got mine at Costco and they would not butterfly it. The internet has great sites with videos showing you how to butterfly. Not a pretty job, but good enough!

Spread butternut squash mixture over meat.

Roll up pork from lengthwise end and tie with kitchen twine, approx. every 2-3 inches.

Season with salt and pepper.
Roast in pan at 450 for about 15 min. Reduce heat to 325 and roast for 45 more minutes, until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees for medium-well. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut into 1-2 inch thick slices (I like thicker slices for this roast).

For Sauce:
In a small sauce pan whisk together chicken stock, corn starch, dry sherry. Bring to a simmer and let thicken. Add sage leaves and simmer for 1 minute. I added pan drippings from the Pork Loin and simmered an additional couple minutes.Serve spooned over meat.

Serves 6.

Eat with loved ones!

Birthday Menu:

Baby greens with bleu cheese, pear and candied pecans with poppyseed dressing
Crusty bread

Herb butter

Pork Loin Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Bleu and Cornbread

Sage Sauce

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Assorted Wines

Carrot Cake

Pumpkin Pie

Coffee

Ice Wine