CHORIZO-STUFFED PORK LOIN

Prep Time: 3 Hours
Yields: 6­­­–8 Servings

Comment: 
Chorizo is the smoky, earthy, sweet and tangy Spanish sausage that becomes the perfect stuffing for this holiday pork roast. Adding caramel to the sauce gives this dish a very unique flavor. Sofrito, like the trinity in Cajun cooking, is a mixture of onions, bell peppers and other fresh seasonings used to create the foundation of flavor.

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin, trimmed
1 pound cured Spanish chorizo
2 tbsps smoky Spanish paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin, divided
1 tbsp ground oregano, divided
salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup bacon fat or olive oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
2 cups diced red onions
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
½ cup thinly sliced garlic
2 fresh bay leaves
¼ cup minced cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
¾ cup sherry
1½ cups beef stock

Method:
Preheat oven to 365°F. On a large cutting board, place pork loin and cut a 1-inch slit through the center of the loin lengthwise creating a pocket for stuffing the sausage. Push the chorizo into the pocket, trimming off the excess of chorizo from each end of the loin. Slice the remaining chorizo into ⅛-inch rounds and set aside. Season the roast completely using paprika, ½ tablespoon of cumin, ½ tablespoon of oregano, salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or roasting pan, heat bacon fat or olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown pork loin on each side, turning occasionally. Take care not to burn the bacon fat. Remove pork from Dutch oven and set aside. Remove Dutch oven from heat and keep warm. Place sugar into a 9-inch sauté pan, add water and cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to create a caramel. Caution: Do not stir sugar with a spoon. Adjust heat as necessary to brown caramel evenly, taking care not to scorch. While caramel is cooking, return Dutch oven with bacon fat to medium-high heat. Into the bacon drippings, add onions, bell peppers, jalapeño, garlic, bay leaves, cilantro and remaining cumin and oregano. Cook vegetables 7–10 minutes or until wilted. Add tomatoes, blending well into the seasoning mixture and cook 5–7 minutes. Add sherry and beef stock, bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer and return pork loin to the pot. Drizzle the caramel around the outer edge of the loin into the liquid. Cover the pot tightly and bake 2–2½ hours or until roast is fork tender and internal temperature has reached 185°F. Remove loin from pot and allow to rest 20 minutes before slicing. When ready to serve, pour sofrito mixture onto the bottom of a large serving platter, slice roast and shingle over the mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and black pepper.