Pork Loin Roast With Pancetta, Pine Nut & Sage Stuffing

This crispy roasted pork loin recipe pairs a beautiful nutty taste with immaculate crackling to give your Christmas roast some extra crunch. 

This roast is perfect for a Chrisrmas dinner, and bound to delight your guests with every mouthful. 

Prep time: 35 mins 

Cook time: 1 hour 50 mins 

Serves: 7 

Ingredients 

  • 2.5 kg boneless pork loin, rind on 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 2 tsp sea salt flakes 

Pro tip: For extra crisp pork crackling, place the pork rind side up, uncovered, on a rack in the fridge the day before you cook it. Leave it overnight, and then stand for 20 minutes at room temperature and dry with a paper towel before roasting. 

Pancetta, pine nut and safe stuffing 

  • ⅓ cup pine nuts 
  • 1 tsp olive oil 
  • 1 small brown onion, finely chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 125 g pancetta, chopped 
  • ⅓ cup sage leaves, chopped 
  • 2 ½ cups fresh sourdough breadcrumbs 
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten 

Method 

Step 1 

Begin by making the stuffing. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat, add pine nuts, and toss until golden, before transferring the pine nuts to a plate. 

Add oil to the pan and heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes (until tender). Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes (until the pancetta is just crisp). Remove the pan from heat and set it aside to cool slightly. 

Step 2 

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add pine nuts, sage, breadcrumbs and egg. Season with salt and pepper, mix until it’s well combined, and then set the bowl aside. 

Step 3 

Pre-heat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan-forced). 

Step 4 

Cut any string from the pork, unroll and place it rind side up into a board. Use a sharp knife to score the pork rind at 1cm intervals. 

Place the pork rind side down onto the board. Pat dry with a paper towel, and gently press to flatten. Slice horizontally through the thickest part of the pork, without cutting all the way through. 

Step 5 

Press the stuffing along the width of the pork on the cut side. Roll firmly to enclose the stuffing, and secure with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Rub rind with oil, and then with salt. 

Step 6 

Place the pork on a greased rack in a large shallow baking pan. Pour water into the pan until it’s ½ cm deep (while ensuring the pork doesn’t touch the water). Roast the pork for 35-40 mins until the rind is golden and crisp. 

Step 7 

Reduce heat to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and roast for another 30-40 mins, or until the juices run clear (adding more water to the pan if necessary). Move the pork to a board and cover loosely with foil. 

Step 8 

Set aside to rest for 10 mins. Slice pork and serve. 

Pop into one of our Peter Augustus stores today to organise your Christmas pork loin, or order online.

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