Geeez…..it feels like forever since I’ve written a post!! (Ten days…I just went back and counted) I apologize for that. Right after I made that post, I got pretty sick, laid up for three days. Then last weekend we had guests in from out of town and we were crazy busy going out to eat, girls went shopping, guys went to Top Golf, went out to eat some more, went to see The Fray in concert and a whole bunch of other things. Like I said….busy. But last night I just had to fire up the Egg to do something. A quick scavenger hunt into the freezer produced this…
Well, that’s too much for Mrs. G and I to eat, so as you can see it got cut into half and half those got cut into four pork chops for later. That left us with about 2lb pork loin (still too much for us to eat, but oh well. That’s what leftovers are for). I took that 2lber and with some fancy schmancy knifework we had this….
Are you impressed with my knifework? If yes, then thank you, you are too kind. If not, cut me some slack. That’s the first time I’ve ever done that before. I don’t think it turned out to bad.
On to the stuffing. I know that a lot of people pair pork with apples. Or maybe raisins (not sure on that one) or some other fruit. Well, Mrs. G doesn’t really do fruit, especially mixed in with meat. So we weren’t gonna roll (pun intended) that way. We started off with some cream cheese and some sautéed spinach (yes, I also sautéed spinach for the first time last night. All kinds of firsts last night) and some sautéed mushrooms and onions.
By this time, with all the sautéing, I needed a drink. Then we added some sun-dried tomatoes and some garlic and herb goat cheese.
Once we had spread out all the ingredients, it was time to roll that bad boy up. After you roll up your pork tenderloin, you could go ahead and cook it, but wouldn’t it be better if it was wrapped in some bacon first? And maybe some Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom?
The pork loin went on to the Egg at 350F.
But man cannot live on meat alone, so I decided to try another first for me….Hasselback Potatoes!! These are something I first saw years ago on the Barbecue Bible, but just never got around to ’em.
There’s all kinds of history on these spuds. I know, cuz I looked it up yesterday….and then forgot it all. So if you want to know about them, then Google is your friend. He’ll tell you all you want to know and more, I’m sure. I kept mine simple with some butter, salt and pepper and a lil bit of thyme.
You might have noticed the drip pan disappeared. Originally, I had my Egg set up indirectly with the placesetter and the drip pan on top of that and then the grate. Let’s just say that I got started a lil later on this cook than I intended, and Mrs. G and I were getting hungry and it was getting late. So to speed things up a bit, we pulled the placesetter, and then used the BGE extended grate on top of the original grate just to get a little height above the coals. Sometimes you just got to improvise.
So after an unknown amount of time (aren’t I being helpful on this cook) and an uncountable number of bourbon and cokes (that might be why I’m so helpful), we pulled the pork once it reached 145F. You are aware that they lowered the safe cooking temp of pork last year? They being the USDA (United States Dept. of Agriculture). I really should have pulled it at 140 and let it carry over, but oh well.
Time to slice that boy up and see what we got.
Look at all that goodness tucked in there.
Enough picture taking. We plated the pork loin up with the potatoes and a salad and dug in.
Turned out pretty good, even if it took longer than I had planned. The pork was juicy and as you can see from the pictures, it even developed a bit of a smoke ring. The ingredients in the stuffing played well off each other, none really overpowering the other. Each bite gave you just a little bit of a different taste. I do think next time, I will skip the cream cheese. That really didn’t work out well. Extra calories and a flavor that really didn’t belong. Maybe sub in some other kind of cheese or use more of the goat cheese. All in all, a pretty tasty meal.
I think tonight I’ll tackle something a little easier. Something involving shrimp. Maybe shrimp embrochette….
Griffin' s Grub 
I know what you can do with your leftovers. There’s this nice lady that lives down south of you. *ahem*
Also, this probably doesn’t need Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Might that nice lady be you?
Sweet Baby Ray’s isn’t allowed in our casa.
Outstanding! I love to do stuffed pork loin like that and it’s been quite some time since I’ve done that. As far as the cream cheese goes, yeah I would have just stuck with the goat cheese alone but I guess you really don’t know until you try something like that.
Thanks. yeah I was experimenting. This was the first one I have ever done and wasn’t sure what to put in it.
Looks good! Where is the Sweet Baby Ray’s?
Grrrr!!! It’s not allowed across the threshold of our house. And I’ll shoot anybody who tries to smuggle it in. 🙂
Looks really good…nothing much better than a butterflied loin wrapped in bacon. Next time you do one like this, take it a step further and make it into a Pork Wellington. It is even better that way, and only a couple more steps. I smoke them to about 120°, and then wrap a sheet of puff pastry/fluffy pastry around it and bake it per the time/temp. I also brushed the ends and the entire thing once it was rolled with a solution of one egg and some water. I also add some ground mustard and some mustard seed for a little kick…. Another great post…
That would be good. Maybe next time.
That looks delish! Funny, because I made a stuffed pork loin this week too….Mine was stuffed with some baked beans (it was for a contest sponsored by Bush’s Beans), and jalapenos, and was wrapped in bacon. You will be horrifed to know that we did serve it with Sweet Baby Rays…….Mmmmm.
Argghhh!! That’t 3 comments today about SBRs, and of course they all came from my favorite 3 bloggers. Grrr! I’m gonna get you guys back….somehow.
Got any pics of your pork loin?
Usually I’m not keen on what people post but this really does look delicious!
Thank you, Ella.
Oh wow, I want every bite of this – I can’t even decide whether I like the potato or the pork loin better! Yum!
They were both really tasty, Kiri, but I think I need to work on the potato a bit. While tasty, it was missing a lil something.
Outstanding, Griffin! How’d you like the hasselback taters? I forgot about those. Never tried them before, but think I’ll try them soon after seeing your pix.
Yeah, I had totally forgotten about them too until I saw them on somebody’s blog earlier this week. I had always wanted to try them, but just kept putting them off. They were good, but I need to tweak them just a bit to get them to outstanding.
Ignore the others up there who said you need to give this to them. I’m far nicer, cuter and I’m old… I need my protein. I’ll send you my address 😀
There’s still a slice or two left, I’m having the leftovers for lunch today.
That looks delicious. Unfortunately, we don’t really have the weather for barbecues here in England. I will have to try cooking this in the oven and maybe on the one hot day that we get I could try it on the barbie. 🙂
I’m sure it would work great in the oven. You might not get the smoke flavor, but still good. And what do you mean you don’t have the weather? I’ve grilled in rain and snow. Where there’s a will, theres a way!
That looks crazy good!!!! I responded to your question, come back to have a look. Cheers, Tara
That looks seriously good, Jason! Great job on the spiral slice of the pork too. I think you might be right on the cream cheese swap out for more goat cheese as well.
Delicious!
Why thank you.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! This looks delicious.
Thanks for following my blog! I’m just starting out so it’s got a long way to go! This stuffed pork loin looks amazing. I’m an Alabama gal who loves some BBQ so I’m sure I’ll be returning to your blog quite a bit!
We all started somewhere, and it looks like you are off to a good start. Slow steps, try and blog once a week at least until you get going. It will become easier over time as you find your style and voice. I’ll be watching you.
And the pork loin…..yum. You reminded me I need to do anyother one soon.
I baked my pork loin in the oven and it came out amazing….I did not have bacon on had just left that off but was awsome
Glad you liked it.
Made this tonight for dinner, I will be making it again, awsome!
Well, you won the prize. The family said this is the best recipe so far and that means something. I have done everything on my Big Green Egg and this one is the best. I also cooked it to 140 degrees and let it sit. Very juicy. I also combined cherry and hickory woods. Worked great. Thanks!
Glad you liked it.
Doing this tonite well get ready. doing it for the game. (supper bowl) with smoked guoda chese not goat.
Let me know how it turns out. Who you rooting for?
Has anyone tried this with Jalapenos? Did it turn out too spicy?
Looks great! Wish there was an actual recipe but any way, what temp. would you suggest for in the oven cooking. Thanks, can’t wait to try it, love pork.
could you cook this in the oven, if so roasting for how long, & at what tempature? Thank Dar.
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Was looking for recipe with the measurements and instructions!!!!! I figured the recipe out but I have been cooking for many years, what about those novice chefs out there don’t you think they need a little guidance. Less concerned with your everyday life and more interest in the recipe. Will be making.
Deb
I had to chuckle at you “I cannot live I near alone” comment. Next the potatoes I pictured most of the men I know eating just meat and potato with some veg shuffled on the plate but it eaten. Amen! Wonderful recipe. I was thinking it was ricotta or maybe thick sour cream in the filling. Goat cheese, even better. Sour cream would be too runny, ricotta may work but goat cheese keeps it together and the flavor never disappoints. The potato that way made it more appealing overall. My brother in law inhaled it.
*live on meat alone. My cell auto changed.
My hubby made this tonight, it’s wonderful! We’re learning from this one – agree on leaving off the cream cheese. We’re also planning to make it again next weekend and start earlier so we can use indirect heat. Thanks for a great recipe!