This tender and juicy Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Peach Glaze is bursting with flavors of garlic, fresh herbs, and fruit. An elegant and impressive presentation for any occasion, especially the holidays that will soon be upon us. This recipe takes a little bit of work, but the end result is so worth it.

I Grew Up With Southern Comfort Food

I haven’t always cooked with fresh herbs, garlic, and other spices. Good Ol’ Southern Comfort food is what was found on our dinner table when I was growing up. Don’t get me wrong, you can’t beat crispy chicken fried steak, smothered in creamy gravy. Oh and those fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes that sit next to it.

Learning to Cook with Herbs and Spices

For the most part, salt and pepper were the only seasonings of the day. Every once in a while we ‘d sprinkle some lemon pepper on a pork chop or squeeze some lemon juice on a piece of catfish. But that was the extent of our “gourmet” recipe excursions. As I began experimenting with recipes that included other ingredients, things like minced garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, cumin and smoked paprika, a whole new “cooking world” was opened to me.

Why I Love This Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast Recipe:

The presentation is so impressive because of the beautiful colors of fruit stuffed in the center. Between the orange dried apricots and the bright red craisins, this dish is a definite show-stopper when you slice and serve it. You’ll be the “Martha Stewart” of the evening.

There’s an array of flavors rolled into this pork loin roast. When you put applesauce and garlic together, add some fresh herbs and dried fruit to a pork loin roast, you end up with an amazing combination of flavors that burst in your mouth. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but the intensity of the flavor is beyond description. You’ll just have to try it to understand it.

This recipe feeds a crowd. I usually pick up a 4 1/2 -5 lb roast for this recipe and it easily feeds 10-12 people. When I’ve made it for my family of six, I have plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Once you have the roast butterflied, the rest is a fairly easy recipe. I always have the butcher at the meat counter butterfly my roast for me. It makes life so much easier. I made this for the very first time about 10 years ago for my son’s wedding and I was amazed at how easily it came together. It takes a little bit of time to tie the roast, but it’s not difficult.

Getting the Fruit Stuffing Ready

Start with pouring boiling water over dried apricots and craisins sprinkled with cinnamon and soak them for about 5 minutes. No longer though because you don’t want them to turn to mush once they cook in the roast. The texture of the fruit in the center should still have some nice substance to it.

Butterflying the Pork Loin Roast

Butterflying the roast can be a little tricky so I personally always have the butcher do it for me. If you want to do it yourself, use a long sharp boning or serrated knife. With the fat side of the roast up, cut horizontally lengthwise into the roast but not through it. You will want to stop about 1/2-1 inch short. Open up the roast like turning the page of a book and, there, you have successfully butterflied your roast. Lay the pork (fat side down) between several pieces of parchment paper and pound the butterflied pork with a meat mallet or a rolling pin for an even thickness.

Stuffing that’s Bursting with Flavor

One of the most enticing flavors found in the Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Peach Glaze is the combination of garlic and applesauce sprinkled with the fresh herbs. With the pork butterflied on the countertop, generously salt and pepper the cut side before adding anything else. Your first layer will be the garlic infused applesauce and fresh herbs. You can use any fresh herbs that you like. I chose rosemary, thyme, and sage. Once you’ve drained the dried fruit, spoon it on top of the applesauce leaving about an inch around the perimeter.

Rolling and Tying the Roast

Now comes the fun but messy part. Starting with the side that does not have the fat layer on the bottom, begin rolling the roast away from you. Once you have finished rolling, turn over the meat so the fat side is up. Using several long strands of kitchen string, tie the roast in order to keep all the “good stuff” inside. You may need to tuck back in the fruit that escaped while you were rolling. I’ve included a YouTube video for instructions on how to tie your roast.

One nice thing about this recipe is that you can prep the fruit stuffed pork loin a day ahead of time. Stuff it with the fruit and tie it the day before. Then when you are ready to serve, pull it from the fridge, let it come to room temperature and roast it as usual. This can make life less complicated and crazy when you are trying to pull everything together for your meal the “day of.”

Cooking Time and Temperature

Place the stuffed pork in a roaster with fat side up, careful not to lose any fruit. Add 1 cup of dry white wine to the bottom of the pan, cover and cook at 325° F for about 1 hour. Pull out the pan and spoon peach or apricot preserves over the top and sides of the roast. My post for Homemade Peach Preserves works wonderfully. Continue cooking, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes.

The length of cooking time depends on your oven and the size of your roast. The best test is to always use an instant-read thermometer. For this Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast, I pulled it out when the internal temperature reached 135°F. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5-10°. You’re looking for a finished temperature of 145° F.

There is a misconception still lingering out there in “cooking land” that pork should never be pink inside. That’s no longer accurate. Pork can turn quickly from a juicy, tender piece of meat to dry and tough. Therefore you never want to overcook it and believe me I’ve overcooked my share of pork.

Let the Roast Sit to Hold In All the Juices After It’s Cooked

Remove this luscious stuffed pork from the pan onto a cutting board and cover with foil. Let it rest for about 10 minutes in order for the roast to hold all its juices inside. All the juices will run out if you cut into it too soon.

This Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Peach Glaze is an elegant display of yumminess for your table, especially if you are throwing a dinner party any time soon.

I’ve got more elegant main dish recipes that are perfect for any dinner party. Here are a few: