Bacon-Wrapped Maple Pork Loin
A succulent pork loin roast brined in maple syrup and herbs, wrapped in bacon, and roasted to perfection. The meat is finished with a maple-cider glaze and served with a rich pan sauce.
Ingredients
- •8 cups water
- •⅓ cup kosher salt
- •2 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber)
- •½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
- •2 sprigs fresh sage
- •1 clove large garlic clove
- •1 leaf bay leaf
- •1 piece boneless pork loin roast
- •3 cloves garlic cloves
- •2 tablespoons fresh sage
- •3 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber)
- •16 slices bacon
- •1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- •½ teaspoon cornstarch
- •1 teaspoon water
- •1 piece instant-read thermometer
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Combine all brining ingredients except pork loin in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring, until salt is dissolved. Pour brine into a deep 4- to 5-quart pot; cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 2 hours.
120 min
- 2.
Add pork to brine, making sure it is completely covered by brine, and marinate, covered and chilled, 8 to 24 hours.
480 min
- 3.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
15 min
- 4.
Pat pork dry (discard brine) and remove any strings, then transfer to a roasting pan. Stir together garlic, sage, and 1 tablespoon syrup in a small bowl and rub all over pork. Lay bacon slices crosswise over loin, overlapping slightly, and tuck ends of bacon underneath loin.
15 min
- 5.
Roast pork until thermometer registers 140°F, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir together 1 tablespoon syrup and vinegar until combined. Brush vinegar mixture over bacon slices and continue to roast pork until thermometer registers 150°F, about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand in pan 15 minutes. Transfer roast to a cutting board with a lip, reserving juices in pan, and let roast stand, uncovered, while making sauce.
90 min
- 6.
Skim fat from pan juices and discard, then transfer jus to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into jus. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon syrup. Serve pork with sauce.
10 min