Here's the recipe:
Cranberry-Apple Stuffed Pork Roast
1 (four- to five-pound) boneless, center-cut pork roast
4 to 6 cloves garlic, sliced into slivers
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider (Woodchuck or Cider Jack)
For the glaze:
1/4 cup Dijon-style coarse grain mustard
3 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons minced rosemary
For the stuffing:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely minced celery (about two stalks)
1/4 cup finely minced onion (one small onion)
2 tart apples (Granny Smith or Fuji), cored and finely diced
3/4 cup whole cranberries, chopped (or 1/2 cup dried, sweetened cranberries)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cups packaged stuffing mix
For the pan sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons AP flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle Woodchuck or Cider Jack hard cider
1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock
Prepare the stuffing:
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion; sauté for five minutes. Add the cranberries and apples; cook until the apples are tender, about eight minutes. Season with thyme, rosemary and parsley. Remove from the heat.
Prepare stuffing according to the package directions; stir in fruit mixture. Toss to combine. Cool the stuffing completely. (This may be prepared one day ahead and held refrigerated. Extra stuffing may be put in a buttered casserole dish and baked, covered with foil, at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes.)
Prepare the roast:
Trim any extraneous fat from the pork, roll cut the roast and lightly pound to an even thickness. Cut slits into the roast and insert garlic pieces. Spoon the stuffing into the pork keeping it about one inch from the edges. Fold the sections over each other and secure with butchers’ twine.
(To roll cut a roast, place the trimmed roast on a cutting board so that one end is directly in front of you. Using a very sharp knife begin cutting on the side, parallel to the cutting board, about one inch from the board. As you cut, “unroll” the roast and continue cutting until the roast is an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.)
Combine the mustard, sage, chopped thyme and rosemary in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the pork roast and season the roast with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the onion, carrot and celery on the bottom of a lightly greased roasting pan. Put the roast atop the vegetables and add the cider. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and continue roasting until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F., about one to 1 1/2 hours. (On average, the roast needs to cook 25 to 30 minutes per pound.) Remove from the oven, transfer to a warmed serving platter and keep warm. (While the USDA now suggests 145 degrees F. for a finished pork temperature, my preference is a bit higher so I roast it to 145 degrees F. and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Carryover cooking will bring the finished temperature to 150 to 155 degrees F.)
While the roast is resting, strain the pan sauce discarding the vegetables. Return the sauce to the stovetop and reduce over medium heat by one-third. In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour (French chefs call this a Beurre manié). Whisk the butter -- one tablespoon at a time -- into the reduced sauce, and cook for two to three minutes adding stock if necessary. The finished sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Serve the reduced sauce with the roast.
