Name: Apple Stuffed Pork Loin with Apple Cider Gravy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 small yellow onion (diced); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 small Honeycrisp apples (finely diced, no need to peel! can substitute for a firm and sweet apple); 10 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme; 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped); 1 tablespoon fresh sage (chopped); 2 tablespoons apple butter; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste); 3-4 pound pork loin roast (not tenderloin!); 1 tablespoon kosher salt ((1 teaspoon per pound of meat)); 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 2 teaspoons dried rosemary; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon dried sage; 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional); 2 tablespoons oil (for browning); 2 tablespoons butter; 2 large yellow onions (sliced); 10-12 cloves garlic (smashed); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; black pepper (to taste); 1 cup apple cider (fresh, from the refrigerated section - not vinegar!); 1 cup chicken stock

This Apple Stuffed Pork Loin is the show-stopping centerpiece your holiday table deserves! A juicy, tender pork loin gets rolled up with a luscious, sweet-and-savory apple filling studded with apples, apple butter, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs. It roasts low and slow with onions, smashed garlic, apple cider, and chicken broth until it's golden and juicy, then gets smothered in the most incredible apple cider gravy made from a roux and those gorgeous pan drippings. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, Easter, or any Sunday supper when you want to make something truly special!

Gorgeous stuffed pork loin spiral on a bed of mashed potatoes with onions, green beans, and apple cider gravy, surrounded by fresh apples, herbs and candles.

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Disclosure: This post (like our apple cider buttered rum recipe) is paid for by the Michigan Apple Committee. Michigan is the nation's second-largest producer of apples! 🍎😍We're proud to showcase the delicious apples and apple products produced in our state! As always, all opinions are our own.

We're always on the lookout for main dishes that can handle any occasion, and this apple-stuffed pork loin has become one of our absolute favorites! It looks incredibly impressive when you slice into it and see those beautiful layers of apples and herbs, but honestly, it's way easier to make than it looks. 😉

We absolutely love the combination of pork and apples together - it's a pairing we've explored in our apple cider pork roast, creamy braised pork with apples, and our pork sausage stuffed apples, too! There's just something about that sweet-savory balance that's so comforting and delicious.

The combination of sweet apples, aromatic herbs, and that rich apple cider gravy hits all the right notes for fall and winter entertaining. But here's the best part - this recipe is wonderfully versatile! We make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, and it's perfect for Easter Sunday, too! Sometimes you need to shake up the routine from standard turkey or holiday ham, you know? The apple flavors feel seasonal enough for autumn holidays but bright enough for spring!

The pork stays incredibly moist thanks to the stuffing and the braising liquid, and that gravy? Oh, the gravy! It's sweet, savory, and has just the right amount of tang from the Dijon and apple cider. You'll want to make extra because everyone will be fighting over it. 🤤

🍎Ingredients

This recipe uses familiar ingredients that come together to create something really special! Fresh Michigan Honeycrisp apples, apple butter, apple cider, aromatic herbs, and pantry staples transform a simple pork loin into an elegant main dish.

🥩Ingredient Spotlight: Pork Loin Roast

The pork loin is the star of this dish, and choosing the right cut is crucial! Here's what you need to know:

Pork loin vs. pork tenderloin: Make sure you're buying a pork loin (not a pork tenderloin!). Pork loin is a larger, thicker cut that comes from the back of the pig and usually weighs 5-6+ pounds. Grocery stores often sell them by the half loin in 3-4 pound sizes. It's perfect for butterflying and stuffing because it's substantial enough to hold all that filling without falling apart. Pork tenderloin, on the other hand, is much smaller (only about 1-1.5 pounds), more delicate, and wouldn't work for this recipe.

What to look for: Choose a pork loin with some marbling throughout - those little streaks of fat will keep the meat juicy and flavorful during roasting. The meat should be pink with a thin layer of fat on one side (don't trim this off, it adds flavor!). Most grocery stores sell boneless pork loin, which is what we use here.

Look for a 3-4 pound center-cut pork loin that's relatively uniform in thickness. This makes it easier to butterfly and stuff! Our roast was a little over 4 pounds and fed 6-8 people comfortably with leftovers. The key is finding a roast that's consistent in diameter from end to end. This will ensure even cooking and make rolling and tying much easier!

🍎Ingredient Spotlight: Apples

We always keep our fridge stocked with plenty of apples from one of the 850 family-run farms in Michigan! Michigan produces a variety of different apples. We like using super-sweet and crisp Honeycrisp apples! Make sure to choose varieties that are firm and can hold up well to roasting. You don't want your apples to turn to mush!

How to Make Apple Stuffed Pork Loin

Making a stuffed pork loin might sound intimidating, but we'll walk you through every step! The process involves making the filling, butterflying the pork, stuffing and tying it, then roasting it over aromatics. Let's do this!

Apples cooking in a skillet with onions, garlic, and herbs.

Step 1: Start by making the apple filling. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the onions, season with salt, and cook for a few minutes to soften until the onion starts to soften and turn translucent.

Add the diced apples to the pan. No need to peel them! Add the minced garlic and herbs and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. You'll know it's ready when your kitchen smells amazing!

🍎Don't overcook the apples at this stage! They'll continue cooking inside the pork, so you want them tender but not mushy.

Cooked apples in a bowl with Dijon mustard and apple butter added.

Step 2: Remove the apple mixture from the heat and place it in a bowl. Stir in the apple butter and Dijon mustard.

Sweet and savory apple filling in a bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step 3: Stir until well combined and set aside to cool.

The apple butter is a secret ingredient that adds concentrated apple flavor and a touch of sweetness and spice that really makes the stuffing special! We love picking some up from local Michigan farms or making our own apple butter! 🍎

🌿Fresh herbs make all the difference here! The combination of thyme, rosemary, and sage complements both the pork and the apples beautifully. They're so much more delicious than dried in this application, but if you only have dried, reduce the amount to ⅓ of what you would use for fresh, because dried herbs are much more potent!

💡Pro tip: You can make this filling up to 24 hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator! This is a great way to break up the work if you're preparing for a holiday meal.

Raw pork loin being sliced on a cutting board.

Step 4: Now for the butterflying! Place the pork loin on a large cutting board with the fat side facing up. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut along the length of the pork, starting about ½ inch from the bottom and cutting almost all the way through, leaving about ½ inch intact on the opposite side.

Fresh raw pork loin being butterflied on cutting board with knife.

Open the pork like a book and continue to cut and roll, being careful not to cut all the way through.

🔪Butterflying tip: Take your time with this step! A sharper knife makes it easier. If you're nervous about butterflying, you can try asking your butcher to do it for you when you purchase the pork. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect, and the inside won't be visible anyway! 😉

Pork loin being cut and rolled out very thin.

Step 4 (continued): If there are any thicker sections, you can make additional cuts (without cutting all the way through) to create a more even thickness. The goal is to have a relatively flat piece of meat that's about 1 inch thick throughout.

Hand pounding pork loin with a meat mallet.

Step 5: Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the top of the cut pork loin, and use a meat mallet to pound the pork into a more even thickness for easier rolling.

Well seasoned pork that has been butterflied on a plastic cutting board.

Step 6: Mix together your seasoning blend of garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, sage, rosemary, smoked paprika, dried mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne (optional), and salt. Season the pork generously on all sides.

Apple filling spread onto a butterflied pork loin roast.

Step 7: Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the interior of the pork, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges. This border is important because it prevents the filling from squeezing out too much when you roll it up!

🧂Salt. We use kosher salt in all of our recipes because it's less salty than other types of salt and dissolves better due to its shape. We'd recommend 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat! If using other types of salt, reduce this amount by 50%.

Hands rolling up a butterflied pork loin with an apple filling.

Step 8: Starting from one long side, carefully roll the pork up tightly, keeping the filling tucked inside as you go. Don't worry if a little filling escapes - that's totally normal!

Tightly rolled pork loin roast seasoned well, with a person's two hands tucking the roast into a round log shape.

Try to make the roast as tight as possible for even cooking.

Hands cutting off excess kitchen twine on a rolled pork loin roast.

Step 9: Using kitchen twine, tie the rolled pork at 1-2 inch intervals to keep everything secure. Make sure the ties are snug but not so tight that they cut into the meat. Cut off the excess twine.

🧵Tying tip: If you've never tied a roast before, there are great videos online that show the technique! The most important thing is that it's secure enough to hold together during cooking. Your ties don't have to be perfect - they just need to work!

Pork loin roast getting seared until golden brown on all sides in a large skillet.

Step 10: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add the stuffed pork loin. Sear it on all sides until deeply golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. This browning step creates incredible flavor! Once the pork is beautifully browned on all sides, remove it from the skillet and set it aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Hand pouring liquid into a skillet with cooked onions, garlic, and herbs.

Step 11: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften, then add in the smashed garlic cloves, continuing to cook them for another couple of minutes. Add in the fresh herbs and bay leaves, followed by the apple cider and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Those bits are pure flavor!

🍎Apple cider note: We're talking about the fresh, unfiltered apple cider you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, or cider mills during fall - not apple cider vinegar, or the apple cider in the shelf stable section. It adds incredible acidity, sweetness, and depth to the gravy!

Seared pork loin roast on top of a bed of onions, herbs, and garlic in a deep cast iron skillet.

Step 12: Nestle the seared pork loin back into the pot on top of the onions. The liquid should be about ½ to 1 inch deep in the pot - just enough to keep everything moist and create plenty of pan drippings for gravy. You don't want to braise the pork, just roast it in a moist environment.

🍳 Pan size matters: Make sure your roasting pan, cast iron skillet, or Dutch oven is large enough to comfortably hold the pork with the onions and liquid around it. The pan should be oven-safe and ideally have a lid (or you can cover tightly with foil).

Full cooked roast with pan drippings, onions, herbs, and garlic in a pan.

Step 13: Cover the pan with its lid (or tightly with aluminum foil) and transfer it to the preheated 375°F oven. Roast, covered, for 45 minutes, then remove the lid or foil and continue roasting uncovered until cooked through and the pork reaches 145°F internally. On average, total cook time should take around 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of your roast.

Once the pork reaches 145°F, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing. This resting period is crucial - it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping it moist and tender!

🌡️Check the temperature: The pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the meat. Use an instant-read thermometer to check!

⏱️Timing guideline: At 375°F, stuffed pork loin takes approximately 18-23 minutes per pound. A 3-pound roast will take about 60-75 minutes, while a 4-pound roast will take 80-90 minutes. However, always rely on temperature, not time alone - factors like your oven's accuracy and how tightly the roast is rolled can affect cooking time!

Spoon holding cooked onions and garlic from a pan over a cast iron skillet.

Step 14: Strain the liquid from the pan through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl. Save the pan drippings!

Reserve the onions and garlic if desired to serve with the pork later. You should have about 1.5-2 cups of liquid leftover. Don't skim the fat! We're using all those flavorful drippings in the gravy.

Step 15: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the flour.

🥄If you're gluten-free, use equal parts cornstarch mixed with cold water to make a slurry, then add it to the skillet with the pan drippings. You'll need about half as much cornstarch as you would flour, so start with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and go from there if you want the liquid thicker!

Roux forming in a skillet with a wooden scraper spoon mixing it.

Step 16: Whisk constantly for about 1-2 minutes until it forms a smooth paste (this is your roux) and starts to smell slightly nutty. Don't let it brown.

Hand whisking gravy in a pan while pouring in pan drippings.

Step 17: Gradually whisk in the strained pan drippings, adding them slowly and whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Start with about ½ cup, whisking until smooth, then add the rest gradually.

Whisking together a pan gravy with Worcestershire sauce added.

Step 18: Add Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to the gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes until the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency.

Hand holding a spoon to the camera to show the gravy coating the back of the spoon.

Step 19: The gravy should coat the back of a spoon but still be pourable. If it's too thick, whisk in a little chicken broth to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer it a bit longer!

Remove the kitchen twine from the pork loin and slice it into ¾ to 1-inch-thick rounds. You'll see those beautiful spirals of apple stuffing! 😍

Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes with green beans and leftover reserved onions from the roasting pan if desired. Drizzle with plenty of apple cider gravy and enjoy!

Beautiful pork loin stuffed with apple filling and rolled into a pinwheel shape on a bed of mashed potatoes with green beans and gravy surrounded by apples, herbs, and candles.

What to Serve With Apple-Filled Pork Loin

This recipe makes at least 8 hearty servings, so it's great to feed a crowd or to reheat and eat all week!

This pork loin pairs beautifully with classic fall and winter sides! We love serving it with our French onion mashed potatoes, some roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans, and warm dinner rolls.

For a special holiday spread, add our fondant potatoes and cornbread biscuits to the table. A simple autumn salad like our arugula apple salad with apple cider vinaigrette echoes the apple flavors beautifully.

The apple cider gravy is also phenomenal over mashed potatoes, so make sure you have plenty for your sides!

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