Ingredients
Method
- Dry brine the meat. Sprinkle the salt all over the meat and rub it in. Let it sit in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours.
- Bread stuffing. Make about 1 pound (454 g) of your favorite bread stuffing. I use my Bread & Butter Stuffing with Cranberries. It's moist, fruity, slightly sweet, slightly tart, and really complements the pork. Make it extra moist, don't cook it before you stuff the pork, and make extra, so you can cook and serve some on the side.
- Prep the meat. Slice open the meat. You can simply take the tube and slice it across the middle like a hot dog bun, stopping about 1/2" (13 mm) from cutting all the way through, leaving a hinge as shown below (that's a bread stuffing).
- A more elegant method, that also gives you more stuffing and moisture, is to insert a long, sharp knife about 3/4" (19 mm) above the cutting board work the knife along at the same height sort of unrolling the meat, as shown below.
- Now pile on the stuffing. Try to level it from edge to edge, front to back (that's a pesto stuffing below).
- Roll the meat back over the stuffing and, with butcher's twine, tie the bundle every inch or so. Coat the meat with olive oil, and sprinkle with an herb rub, something without salt since we have dry brined it. The oil helps brown the meat, keeps moisture in, and pulls flavor from the oil soluble herbs. I use my Simon and Garfunkel Rub. Insert your meat thermometer probe in the center of the thickest part.
- Fire up. Set up the grill in a 2-zone configuration or get the smoker started, and get the indirect zone up to about 225°F (107°C).
- Cook. Add the meat and the wood for smoking at the same time. Go easy on the wood. We only want a hint of smoke. This is delicate meat. At 225°F (107°C) the roast will cook to 140°F (60°C) in about 2 hours, depending on how thick it is, what is in the stuffing, and how steady you can keep the temp. Take it off at 140°F (60°C) and it will rise to 145°F (65°C) from carryover. As usual, if the meat is done early, hold it in a faux cambro until the rest of dinner is ready. Below is a roast stuffed with chopped dates, raisins, walnuts, and moistened with sweet red wine.
- Cut in 1/2" (13 mm) slices and serve with soused apple slices, extra stuffing on the side, and a slightly sweet Riesling.
Notes
About the salt. The rule of thumb for dry brining is 1/2 teaspoon of Morton coarse kosher salt per pound of meat.
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
About the stuffing. I like bread stuffing best, especially my Bread & Butter Stuffing with Cranberries. Another approach I like is to stuff it with an herb paste, like pesto. I thin it with olive oil and toss in some raisins and toasted pine nuts. Sometimes I soak the raisins in rum and microwave it for about 30 seconds to speed the soaking. I then drink the rum that has not been absorbed. Occasionally I make a stuffing of dried fruits, whatever I have on hand, mix in some chopped walnuts or pecans, some melted butter, and some sweet red wine.
Optional, but recommended. Make 1 cup piccata sauce. Spoon about 3 tablespoons on each plate when serving, and lay a slice of the meat on top.