This beast of a recipe is simply the best. It’s my all-time favorite way to enjoy pork loin—the jalapeño popper filling was made for pork. This is a showstopping meal!
- 1 center-cut pork loin (about 3 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- One 8-ounce (227-gram) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 10 bacon slices, cooked until crisp, then crumbled (about 1 2/3 cups or 150 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix (recipe follows)
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced (about 1/3 cup or 30 grams)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Butterfly the pork: Place the pork on a cutting board and, with a clean hand flat on top of the meat, hold a sharp knife parallel to the board and carefully make a lengthwise cut about a third of the way from the bottom, stopping about 1 inch from the opposite end. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Open the loin like a book. Continue the cut, now slicing halfway from the bottom and stopping about 1 inch from the opposite edge. Open that edge as well. You now have one large, evenly flat piece of pork.
Cover the entire cut of meat with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound to an even 1/3-inch thickness. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon, and ranch seasoning. Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer on the pork loin, leaving about a 1/2-inch border on the edges. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheddar and the jalapeño evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Tightly roll the pork loin to completely enclose all the fillings. Using kitchen twine, tightly secure the roll.
In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the pork loin and sear, about 5 minutes on all four sides.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (be sure to insert the thermometer all the way into the center of the loin.) Start checking at 25 to 30 minutes, but the loin might need up to 50 minutes.
Sprinkle the loin with the remaining 1 cup cheddar and roast for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Slice and garnish with parsley if desired. Serve hot.
Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
Prep Time: 5 minutes- 1/3 cup (40 grams) powdered buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
