Orange Pork Loin stuffed with Bacon and Mushrooms

Near Christmas is the time when I'm most busy. Busy baking Christmas presents, and planning Christmas parties which I usually host for my own family and my in-laws. This year was no exception. My spouse likes our Christmas with Turkey and Honey baked hams. So we usually order from the local supermarket, then roast the marinated Turkey. It was huge, but it was good. Besides just buy and roast, I decided to make Pork Loin this year. I made reference from Martha Stewart's Orange and Cumin Pork Loin and Honey Bee Sweets Pork Loin. I like the idea of Orange Pork Loin.

Pork Loin can be quite tough if not cooked properly. So I decided to see how nice or tender it can be when baked. Well, although it wasn't melt-in-the-mouth tender, it was quite soft and had the tangy orangey taste. It was pretty nice and refreshing. I actually like it although I'm not a pork person. And the good thing about baking meats is that you can add any flavour or sauce to suit your taste. It's that versatile.

Recipe for Orange Spearmint Pork Loin stuffed with Bacon and Mushrooms
(Makes for 4-5 persons)

Ingredients:
1.5kg fresh Pork loin
1 packet Brown button mushrooms (brown or white will do), sliced
4 sprigs Spearmint (or peppermint) (or any other fresh herbs)
1 Orange (squeeze the juice and use the zest)
250g Bacon rashers
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Method:

1. Slice the pork loin almost all the way through lengthwise; you can then open the tenderloin like a book. This is called butterfly. You may refer here to see how to.
2. Marinate the pork in orange juice and zest for 2 hours.

3. Heat up a saucepan. Add a little olive oil, add in garlic. Fried until fragrance. Add in mushroom and cook well. Drained and leave aside.
4. Open up the butterflied pork loin. Lay bacon rashers over it. Then spread the mushrooms over it thickly.
5. Wrapped it up like swiss roll tightly. Place in your baking tray.
6. Then wrapped it up with bacon rashers.
7. Use toothpick to poke through from the top to hold it's shape.
8. With the remaining orange juice and zest, add in spearmint, salt and pepper and mix well.
9. Pour over the bacon top. Scoop some spearmint for the top.
10.  Bake in preheated oven of 180C for 45mins.
11. Let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan juices.

This post is submitted to "My Treasured Recipes #4 - Ho Ho Ho It's Christmas (Dec 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

This post is linked to "Cook and Celebrate: Christmas 2014" organised by Cook & Celebrate Christmas 2014 hosted by Bake For Happy Kids, Eat Your Heart Out and Domestic Goddess Wannabe.