P4F C-4 Bacon Wrapped, Spiral Cut and Stuffed Pork Loin

This is a culinary work of art that has amazing complexity in flavors and yet is easy to bring to the table.

Description:
We begin with a Pork Loin of 3 Lb or more. We spiral cut the Pork loin, then season both sides liberally with Peppers4Fun C4 Rub. We spread cream cheese with chopped asparagus, layer with crushed Peppers4Fun Candied Walnuts or Pecans, next a layer of spinach… roll it all up. Wrap it, rollup with bacon. Tie it with butchers string or hold together with wood skewers. Put it on the grill to smoke and when the internal temperature is 145 degrees F. You are ready to serve.

Now the details.

Prep Time: about an hour

Cook Time: 3 hrs at 250° F or until meat thermometer reaches 145° F.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Lb or more Pork Loin

  • Peppers4Fun C4 Rub

  • 4 Oz Peppers4Fun Candied Walnuts or Pecans - crushed

  • 4 to 8 Oz Cream Cheese – softened to room temperature

  • 4 to 6 Asparagus – chopped in ¼” to 3/8” pieces

  • Spinach – enough to cover the cream cheese on the open pork loin.

  • 1 to 1 ½ Lb Bacon to wrap the rolled pork loin

  • Butcher String or Wood/Metal Skewers - to hold wrapped roast together

Grill Smoke:

  • Cherry or Cherry Bourbon pellets – enough for 90 minutes of smoke. I usually use two cups of pellets.

Instructions:

Spiral Cut the pork loin:

To spiral slice the pork loin, the first two tips are 1) partially freeze your loin for about 30 minutes to get it a bit firm and 2) use the sharpest knife that you have. If you don't have a sharp knife, don't try this.

Start slicing along one of the longer sides about 3/4" deep, lifting the rest of the meat as you slice. As you near the edge, start turning the blade and rolling the meat open or butterflied to keep the cut at about 3/4" thick. Continue across and repeat back at the other edge. You will end up with a flat piece of 3/4" pork.

Seasoning: 

Generously season both sides of the pork loin with Peppers4Fun C4 Rub.>

 

The Layers:

With the pork loin returned to the sliced side up, spread the room temperature softened cream cheese. Layer the asparagus as little or much as you like. Next, sprinkle the crushed Peppers4Fun Candied Walnuts or Pecans over the asparagus and cream cheese. Lastly, cover the whole thing with one layer of spinach.

Rolling the Pork:

Roll the pork loin back up. Use wood / metal skewers to hold it while you get the bacon ready.

Bacon Wrapping:

No matter which layering style you use, put the bacon on plastic wrap. Then place the pork loin on the edge of the bacon. This makes it much easier to roll the pork loin up in the bacon.

Wrapping Style I use the straight overlap style. I slightly overlap the bacon slices the width of the pork loin. I will also overlap a second row so that the length of the bacon will be long enough to make sure that the bacon completely goes around the pork loin.

Remember to Leave the Plastic wrap off the bacon as you roll the pork loin up in the bacon.

Optional Basket weave style: ( https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/build-bacon-weave/ )

Tying off or Skewer:

I usually do not find butchers string so I use wood skewers to hold everything together. I only use a few since the smoking rack I have is a V shape and will hold the wrapped pork loin nicely. But if you can find the butchers string, then tie it off since it is a better way to go.

Smoking:

If you have a smoker, fantastic. Get the temp up to 250° F and hod it there. Use your favorite smoke for pork but I prefer either the cherry or the cherry bourbon pellets.

Now if you have a Charcoal grill, I use Cowboy Charcoal. Build your fire to one side and put the pork loin off to the other, more to where your smoke exits the grill. Keep the smoke going at least an hour.

I often use my commercial grade gas grill to smoke everything I do. You can use a stainless steel smoke box to generate the smoke. I want the real hard charcoal aroma and flavor, so on the right side of my grill I build a small charcoal pile with, of course, Cowboy Charcoal. Once I have the coals glowing, I add my smoke onto the coals and away we go. I have the pork loin at the opposite end of the grill. If need be, I turn on the burner under coals to maintain the 250° F.

Finish, Resting and Serving:

Because folks in my family prefer not to see pink in pork, I make sure the thermometer hits 145° F. Some fold will take the loin off at 140° F and let it rest longer. To your preferred doneness, take this culinary wonder off the grill, let it rest five to no more than ten minutes. Slice and server with all your favorite side dishes. One of our favorite sides is Cath’s famous garlic mashed potatoes but, you must be a garlic lover to appreciate this side.