Cinnamon Pork Loin Roll with Carrots and Apples
Every once in a while, I get smacked upside the head with a bizarre idea, but... I’ll stick with it, mull it over and turn it into something tasty. This is just such an idea.
Believe it or not, this recipe came to me while I was day dreaming about cinnamon rolls! I decided to take the idea of a pork loin, brine it, add a twinge of sweetness to it, and roll it up with some cinnamon and nuts!
Seeing as it's Fummer (that place between summer and fall), apples are really peaking, right now. I love to play with ingredients that traditionally fall a bit outside the norm for a low-carb, keto approach. Apples fall right into that. They have higher carb counts, which tend to render them forgotten and uneaten. I maintain that most all ingredients are acceptable. It’s the quantity that matters. A little apple here and there isn’t bad. In fact, it can actually be a good thing, in that it might increase that sense of variety, preventing you from feeling bored and seeking out a trip to Cinnabon. A periodic apple might actually help keep you on track. Apples can be nice for a planned cheat day. They can also be enjoyed by those on maintenance. They can be slammed with reckless abandon by those doing a Paleo or Primal diet.
I personally enjoy apples on big workout days. I burn off any additional carbs before they get converted to moobs. If you’re doing a lot of exercise, some well timed fruit can actually help.
This recipe also embraces carrots, cooked carrots, which are often touted as the benchmark for high glycemic foods. This is a myth, but it continues to be passed around in all the dark ketogenic corners of the internet. The original tests were wrong. Carrots have a mid-level placement on the glycemic index, but a very low glycemic load. Carrots are fine... Enjoy them!
Oh, did I mention that it’s a one pan recipe? Huzzah!!
All this said, if you’re a beginner, or deep into keto or induction levels of low-carb... earmark this recipe for when you find your balance and begin stepping up some rungs. There will be a place in your life for this recipe. Someday.
And, and what a fun recipe it is!
Finally, here’s a great video that shows how to cut the roast, while also showing how to tie it. A fantastic video and very much worth the watch!
Here’s a video showing how to cut and tie a pork roast:
Note: I VERY strongly wanted to make a warm and slightly sweetened sour cream sauce for this, so that it would look like frosting, while still tasting great and complementing all the flavors. I ultimately decided that that would be TOO silly and might turn up some noses. In retrospect, though... I kinda want it.
Believe it or not, this recipe came to me while I was day dreaming about cinnamon rolls! I decided to take the idea of a pork loin, brine it, add a twinge of sweetness to it, and roll it up with some cinnamon and nuts!
Seeing as it's Fummer (that place between summer and fall), apples are really peaking, right now. I love to play with ingredients that traditionally fall a bit outside the norm for a low-carb, keto approach. Apples fall right into that. They have higher carb counts, which tend to render them forgotten and uneaten. I maintain that most all ingredients are acceptable. It’s the quantity that matters. A little apple here and there isn’t bad. In fact, it can actually be a good thing, in that it might increase that sense of variety, preventing you from feeling bored and seeking out a trip to Cinnabon. A periodic apple might actually help keep you on track. Apples can be nice for a planned cheat day. They can also be enjoyed by those on maintenance. They can be slammed with reckless abandon by those doing a Paleo or Primal diet.
I personally enjoy apples on big workout days. I burn off any additional carbs before they get converted to moobs. If you’re doing a lot of exercise, some well timed fruit can actually help.
This recipe also embraces carrots, cooked carrots, which are often touted as the benchmark for high glycemic foods. This is a myth, but it continues to be passed around in all the dark ketogenic corners of the internet. The original tests were wrong. Carrots have a mid-level placement on the glycemic index, but a very low glycemic load. Carrots are fine... Enjoy them!
Oh, did I mention that it’s a one pan recipe? Huzzah!!
All this said, if you’re a beginner, or deep into keto or induction levels of low-carb... earmark this recipe for when you find your balance and begin stepping up some rungs. There will be a place in your life for this recipe. Someday.
And, and what a fun recipe it is!
Finally, here’s a great video that shows how to cut the roast, while also showing how to tie it. A fantastic video and very much worth the watch!
Here’s a video showing how to cut and tie a pork roast:
Note: I VERY strongly wanted to make a warm and slightly sweetened sour cream sauce for this, so that it would look like frosting, while still tasting great and complementing all the flavors. I ultimately decided that that would be TOO silly and might turn up some noses. In retrospect, though... I kinda want it.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time11 hrs
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 559.54kcal
Ingredients
- 6 lbs pork loin boneless and center cut
- 16 cups cold maple brine from pork chop recipe
- 1 tbsp cinnamon ground
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecan halves divided
- 3 medium apples (like Granny Smith or Braeburn) rustic chop
- 1 medium red onion rustic chop
- 1.5 lbs carrots scrubbed and rustic chop
- 1/4 cup melted butter lard or bacon fat, divided
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Butterfly the pork loin, so that you have a large rectangular sheet of pork loin. Submerge this in your brine for between 6 and 18 hours and refrigerate.
- 6 to 18 hours later, pre-heat an oven to 450 F (232 C).
- Remove the pork from the brine and wash well in the sink. Discard the brine. After washing the pork, completely dry it with a towel and place on a cutting board, with the fat side down.
- If your pork is unevenly cut, you can cover the pork with a sheet or two of plastic wrap, then pound it more evenly with a mallet (or the bottom of a heavy pan).
- Evenly season the pork with the cinnamon, but also a little salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle half of the chopped pecans inside the pork.
- Roll the pork tightly, like a jelly roll, or cinnamon rolls. Start at the end opposite the end with the exposed pork. Roll towards that end, keeping the roll as tight and even, as possible, while rolling it.
- Tie the pork loin roast with butchers’ twine, using the method shown in the video, above. The roast should be even, and tight, so that it forms a nice round cylinder of pork.
- In a large bowl, toss together the carrots, apples and onion. Season with salt and pepper, then add half of the melted fat. Toss, so that the ingredients are coated evenly.
- Evenly distribute the seasoned vegetables along the bottom of a large casserole dish or baking pan (make sure it has a rim, to catch any liquids that may pool).
- Rub the pork roast with the remaining melted fat, then season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Place the remaining chopped pecan on a piece of parchment paper, or even just a big plate or cookie tray.
- Roll the roast in the pecans, pressing them into the outer layer of the pork roast.
- Place the pork on top of the vegetables and place the tray in the oven.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 325 F (163 C).
- Roast the pork for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature is about 140 F (60 C).
- Remove the pork from the oven and cover with foil. Set in a warm place for about 15 minutes to relax.
- After 15 minutes, you may remove the twine, slice and serve. If any juices accumulate at the bottom of the pan, while the dish rests, drizzle it over the top. Don’t underestimate a dollop of sour cream!
Nutrition
Serving: 12g | Calories: 559.54kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.975g | Protein: 47.2975g | Fat: 34.588333333333g | Fiber: 3.5391666666667g