Tuscan Style Pork Loin

This recipe was amazing! We had this for our St. Patrick's Day dinner. I realize that it's somewhat of a contradiction to prepare a Tuscan style recipe for the Irish holiday. However, I already knew that I was making pork tenderloin (my family isn't big on corned beef) and the minute that I laid eyes on this recipe at Once Upon A Plate, I KNEW that I was making it ASAP! If you are unfamiliar with Once Upon A Plate, I encourage you to check it out. This blog is a feast for the eyes. The photography and tablescapes are gorgeous and the recipes are wonderful. I was intrigued by the idea of baking the pork loin in bread. I wondered how the already baked bread would withstand a second round in the oven. Well, no worries! The bread gets nice and crusty on the outside and soaks up the cooking juices from the pork loin on the inside. The flavor was delicious. We all loved every bite of this...even the kids. I can't wait to make this again, but for more people. This recipe begs to be shared with guests.

It's not too tricky to make. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan cook the tenderloin until golden brown on every side.



Brush the whole thing with Dijon mustard.



Spread all of the spices: rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and garlic on a sheet of waxed paper.



Roll the tenderloin in the spices until covered. Ahhhh, spices.



Next, prepare the bread by making a slit down the center. This is a roasted garlic loaf that I found in the bakery of my local supermarket. Boy, was this good!



Hollow out the loaf.



Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into a dish and...



brush the inside of the bread.



With the loaf prepared, drop in that tenderloin.



Tie it up with cooking string. I had to get my string from Dennis the butcher. I wonder why the grocery didn't sell it? If you have any trouble locating cooking string, just ask the meat guy (or girl...I don't mean to stereotype). Once the bread is tied up, pop it into a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 155 degrees. I actually completed all of the prep work early in the day, then covered the loaf and put it into the fridge until it was time to make dinner. I'm thinking that you could probably even do this the night before.



After the tenderloin reaches the desired temperature, remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. This was cooked to perfection. So tender and juicy! I just can't say enough good things about this recipe.



I served it up with my favorite St. Patty's side dish (actually my favorite side on most days!) Caramelized Cabbage in Cream and mashed potatoes. My husband deemed this the "best St. Patrick's meal yet". I might just have to agree.



You can get the recipe at Once Upon A Plate. Just click HERE.