Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples
While this recipe was part of my Christmas Dinner, it can serve well for any celebratory occasion or family gathering this winter. As soon as I saw the picture of this Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples on the magazine cover, I felt compelled to make it for our family Christmas Dinner. Besides being incredibly tasty, the finished dish is captivatingly beautiful to gaze upon. When sliced, the swirls of prosciutto, white pork meat, kale and filling are visually arresting! The crispy prosciutto, supple pork and tender ground pork based filling provide a distinct combination of textures to delight your palate. Roast the pork loin with small apples, which by absorbing juices from the meat will become almost caramelized and serve as a great condiment for the dish. Pour the dripping-based sauce over the sliced loin to finish it off and enjoy the accolades from your guests!
Ingredients: dried whole porcini mushrooms, dried apples, kale, unsalted butter, onion, garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, brandy or Calvados, ground pork, pork loin, prosciutto, rosemary, apples, extra-virgin olive oil, dry hard cider, low-salt chicken stock , salt and freshly ground pepper.
I deviated from the recipe slightly by using a thicker cut of Prosciutto di Parma. It added a bit more substance to the pork’s top layer.
Place dried mushrooms (I actually used dried Chanterelles) and dried apples in separate small bowls. Add 1 cup boiling water to each bowl. Let mushrooms and apples soak until very soft, about 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid (about ¾ cup). Cover and chill liquid. Drain apples. Drain apples, discard soaking liquid. Finely chop mushrooms and apples, combine in a small bowl, and set mushroom and apple mixture aside.
Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer kale to a rimmed baking sheet.
Remove any large, tough center ribs.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and apples; cook stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary; cook for 1 minute (herbs de provence spice is a great substitute). Add brandy and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool.
Add ground pork and stir to combine.
Ask your butcher to trim and butterfly a pork loin for you. Unroll the roast like a carpet, until the entire loin is flat. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap.
Using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness.
Uncover pork. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Place kale leaves on top of loin in an even layer overlapping as needed and leaving 1 inch border.
Spread filling on top of kale.
Roll pork into a tight cylinder.
DO AHEAD: Pork roast can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before continuing.
Warp one layer of prosciutto around roast.
Tie roast securely with kitchen twine in 1 inch intervals.
Tuck rosemary springs under twine, spacing apart.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place apples in a roasting pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in a large skillet. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
Then set on top of apples in pan.
Add cider and ½ cup water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Pour mixture into roasting pan. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loin registers 140 degrees (it will be cooked medium but still slightly pink), about 1 hour and 40 minutes (check for doneness at 1h30). Let roast rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Let roast rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Serve sauce and apples alongside pork.
Photographed by Gary Flom.
PrintProsciutto-wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 oz(1 cup) dried whole porcini mushrooms
- 2 oz(3/4 cup) dried apples
- 1 lb kale, bottom stems trimmed
- 2 tbsp kosher salt plus more
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup minced onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1.5 tbsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp brandy or Calvados
- 0.5 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1.5–3 lb pork loin
- 1 tbsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- 0.5 tbsp freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
- 3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
- 5 springs rosemary
- 4 medium apples (such as Granny Smith or Fuji), quartered, or 8 small apples, halved
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry hard cider
- 0.5 cup low-salt chicken stock
Instructions
- Place dried mushrooms and dried apples in separate small bowls. Add 1 cup boiling water to each bowl. Let mushrooms and apples soak until very soft, about 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid (about ¾ cup). Cover and chill liquid. Drain apples. Drain apples, discard soaking liquid. Finely chop mushrooms and apples, combine in a small bowl, and set mushroom and apple mixture aside.
- Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer kale to a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until cool. Remove any large, tough ribs.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and apples; cook stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary; cook for 1 minute. Add brandy and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool. Add ground pork and stir to combine.
- Pork: Ask your butcher to trim and butterfly a pork loin for you. Unroll the roast like a carpet, until the entire loin is flat. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness.
- Uncover pork. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place kale leaves on top of loin in an even layer overlapping as needed and leaving 1 inch border. Spread filling on top of kale. Roll pork into a tight cylinder. Warp one layer of prosciutto around roast. Tie roast securely with kitchen twine in 1 inch intervals. Tuck rosemary springs under twine, spacing apart. DO AHEAD: Pork roast can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before continuing.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place apples in a roasting pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in a large skillet. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes total, then set on top of apples in pan. Add cider and ½ cup water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Pour mixture into roasting pan. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loin registers 140 degrees (it will be cooked medium but still slightly pink), about 1 hour and 40 minutes (check for doneness at 1h30). Let roast rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Put roast on a platter. Reserve apples from roasting pan; spoon off fat from juices in pan. Place pan on top of stove over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock. Pour in reserved mushroom liquid, leaving any sediment behind, and cook, scrapping bottom of pan to release any brown bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain sauce; slice pork. Serve sauce and apples alongside pork.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: holiday meal, kale, mushrooms, pork lion, prosciutto, roasted apples