This dish comes from a recipe I saw on a cooking show and fell in love with, it’s called Fennel and Onion-Stuffed Pork Loin. I do love pork of any kind, but this particular cut is perfect to stuff with a variety of ingredients, any of which is up to you. There are two reasons I say this: one is because of the finished dish, and two, even better, it can be made in advance.

I’m making a few changes of my own, and I’ll tell you about those in a minute. Let me start with the filling that’s going to go into the center of my pork loin.

When I went to my local grocery store and found this beautiful cut of pork loin, I spoke to the butcher at my local grocery store and had him butterfly this one for me. Of course, you can do this yourself, but why? If the butcher will do it for you, I say go right ahead! 

I also made some cheesy, buttery French bread to go alongside. Everyone loves bread!

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yields: 4-6 servings:
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, aluminum foil, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, 1 (3-quart) saucepot, large mixing bowl, mini food processor, 1 instant-read thermometer, Mandolin, chef’s knife, cutting board, meat-safe cutting board, butcher’s twine

Ingredients for the Fennel And Onion Filling:
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Pernod (substitute a dry white wine)

Ingredients for the Roasted Pork Loin:
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, butterflied
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Kosher salt
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Roasted Potatoes:
4 large red potatoes, quartered
1 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, unsalted, substitute chicken broth
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Gravy:
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
3 cups of chicken stock, unsalted
2 dashes of Kitchen Bouquet browning seasoning sauce
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Bread:
1 loaf of French baguette bread
1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter, unsalted and at room temperature
3 tablespoons of good mayonnaise
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Instructions for the Fennel And Onion-Stuffed Pork Loin:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

For the filling, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and fennel with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Once the onions and fennel are tender and lightly browned, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the Pernod to deglaze the pan by using the back of a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for another minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Once the fennel and onion mixture has cooled, add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Lay the pork on a board, fat side down, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper. Spread the stuffing evenly on the pork and roll up lengthwise, ending with the fat on top of the roll. Tie the pork loin up using 5 pieces of kitchen twine, rub with 1/4 cup of olive oil, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of fresh ground black pepper all over the outside of the pork loin.

Now, at this point, you can put the stuffed pork loin into the fridge wrapped well in plastic wrap, the night before or even 2 days before. You don’t want to season the outside of the pork loin until it’s ready to go into the oven. The onions and potatoes are only to be prepped right before they’re ready for the oven.

Instructions for the Oven Roasted Potatoes:
On a rimmed baking sheet, lay out the quartered potatoes and onions in one even layer. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt,1 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, and toss to coat. Pour 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock into the bottom of the sheet pan to prevent the potatoes from burning or sticking. This liquid will eventually evaporate during the cooking process.

Place the rolled pork loin on top of the potatoes. Roast for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F. Roast for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 137°F. Note: If the thermometer hits the stuffing, it will read at a higher temperature. Test the meat in a few different places. Remove from the oven, cover tightly with foil.

Turn the oven up to 450 degrees F. Once preheated, return the potatoes to the oven for another 20 minutes while the pork is resting. The onions will be sweet and tender, and the potatoes will be golden brown on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Allow the pork loin to rest for 20 minutes.

There you have it, my Fennel and Onion Stuffed Pork Loin, which I like to serve family-style. My roasted potatoes are presented on a large platter, then drizzled with light brown gravy.

Instructions for the Bread:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, mayonnaise, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Kosher salt, and black pepper, mixing until well incorporated. Slice the French bread in half, then again lengthwise. Slather the butter mixture on both halves of the bread. Place the tops on, and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and slice. Serve hot.

Instructions for the Gravy:
In a saucepot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until the raw flour is cooked, paste-like, and golden blonde in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, Kitchen Bouquet, dried thyme, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Switch to a wooden spoon, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously, until the gravy thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Notes:
1) If there is any extra filling and you’re not sure what you do with it. Place the extra filling in a small oven-safe baking dish. Top with a little more of the Panko and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Place the leftover filling in the oven during the final 20 minutes of cooking time for the stuffed pork loin.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

3) The Kcal count is only for the Fennel and Onion-Stuffed Pork Loin.

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