Bacon and Ginger Pork Loin

Hi Everyone.  It's time for this month's Secret Recipe Club, where each month, a group of bloggers are assigned a blog, and we get to choose a recipe from that blog to feature on our own blogs, then we all reveal our assigned blogs on the same day.   

This month I was assigned the blog:  WildFlour's Cottage Kitchen by Kelly.  Oh my, did I have a hard time picking a recipe to feature from Kelly's wonderful blog.  There were so many yummy things to choose from.  Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce (I love all things chipotle), Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Party Ring (did someone say CHEESE?), Authentic Pork Egg Rolls (If I had had more time...), but in the end, I chose Bacon Wrapped Gingersnap Pork Loin (has anyone picked up on a theme here?).   

The roast was delicious, and it looks so pretty.  I'd say company worthy for sure.  Thanks, Kelly!

To begin, lay down a large piece of foil (I used nonstick foil - it's awesome!).  Add two rows of bacon, shingling the pieces top to bottom, and overlapping slightly in the middle.

Center the pork roast on the bacon, now read the recipe instructions and realize you were supposed to flip the roast over to coat the bottom first.

So roll the roast over and coat it liberally with mustard, followed by a half of the crumb mixture that I forgot to get a photo of.  Also, I missed the next couple photos because my hands were covered in mustard and crumbs.....

...but after both sides of the roast are coated in mustard and crumbs, wash your hands and wrap the bacon roast, criss-crossing the pieces as you go.  When you're done, place the whole thing on a roasting rack sitting in a large roasting pan.

The foil is pulled up over the roast without being sealed (so steam can escape during cooking).

When 45 minutes have passed, the foil is opened up so the bacon can crisp while the roast continues cooking for 35-45 minutes (internal temp should reach 155F, then rest until it rises to 160F before slicing).  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• nonstick foil https://amzn.to/3usuReH

• turkey roasting pan with rack https://amzn.to/3GdH88M

• oven probe thermometer https://amzn.to/3ANAx42

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Bacon and Ginger Pork Loin

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pound pork loin roast

• 12 gingersnap cookies, broken

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

• 1 pound high quality thick-cut bacon

• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Lay a 20-inch wide strip of nonstick foil on a work surface.

3. On top of the foil, line up two rows of bacon, shingling each row and overlapping slightly in the middle where the two rows meet.

4. In a food processor, process the gingersnaps to fine crumbs; add dark brown sugar and pulse until well mixed.

5. Coat bottom (side without the fat cap) of roast with 1 tablespoon mustard, followed by half of the crumb mixture; place bottom side down over the center seam of the two rows of bacon.

6. Repeat the mustard and crumb/mixture on the top of the roast (the side with the fat cap).

7. Start wrapping the bacon over the roast, one slice at a time, criss-crossing as you go until all the bacon is used.

8. Sprinkle liberally with freshly ground black pepper.

9. Place a roasting rack in a large roasting pan (I like to use a v-shaped roasting rack).

10. Lift roast by it's foil sling and transfer to the roasting rack.

11. Bring up sides of the foil and fold together to cover the bacon but don't seal them closed so excess steam can escape in the oven.

12. Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven, open foil and continue to bake for 35-45 minutes or until an internal temperature of 155F is reached.

13. Allow roast to rest for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145F; slice and serve.

Notes

• I noticed the rendered bacon fat didn't drain away from my roast while it was in the oven, which resulted in soggy bottom bacon.  

• Next time I'll pierce the foil a number of times so the rendered fat can drain away during the roasting process.  

Polish Wonder Pot

Have you seen the "one pot" pasta meals that have been making the rounds online?  You know, the ones where you throw a bunch of ingredients, including uncooked pasta, in a big pot and before you know it, dinner is ready.  This is a simple version that uses smoky kielbasa sausage and takes only about 30 minutes to make.  Here's how it's done.

Start by sauteing a pound of kielbasa in a dry skillet over medium heat until brown on both sides. The kielbasa will render its own fat so no need to add any oil to the pan.

When the kielbasa is brown, remove it from the pan and set aside until later.

In the same pan, saute the sliced onions in the rendered kielbasa fat.

Stir the onions occasionally until they turn translucent and begin to caramelize.

Return the kielbasa to the pan.

Add 1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (try my delicious san marzano tomato sauce recipe).

Stir in 4 cups of water. Raise heat and bring mixture to a boil.

Add 1 pound of dry fettuccini. Be sure to use fettuccine - other pasta would require a different amount of water and I haven't had time to experiment.

Press the fettuccine into the liquid and move it around a little to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Lower the heat back to medium.

Stir frequently until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked "al dente". This should take 10-15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in a handful of fresh spinach.

Taste carefully and season with salt and pepper before serving. You may or may not need to add any depending on how flavorful your tomato sauce was.

That's it - plate it up and dig in!

Polish Wonder Pot

makes 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound kielbasa, sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 1/2 cups flavorful tomato sauce (jarred or homemade)

• 4 cups water

• 1 pound dry fettuccine

• 1 handful fresh spinach leaves

Directions

1. In a very wide skillet or stockpot over medium heat, saute kielbasa on both sides until browned; remove from pan and set aside until needed.

2. In the same skillet or stockpot, saute onions in rendered kielbasa fat until they turn translucent and begin to caramelize (add olive oil if needed).

3. Return browned kielbasa to pan.

4. Add tomato sauce and water; stir well to combine.

5. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.

6. Add fettuccine, submerging it in the boiling liquid as best you can, moving a bit to keep the pasta from sticking together.

7. Lower heat to medium and stir pasta occasionally until liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked "al dente".

8. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.

9. Stir well and season with salt and pepper if needed.