Bacon-Wrapped Maple Pork Loin

Name: Bacon-Wrapped Maple Pork Loin
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 8 cups water; 1 1/3 cup kosher salt; 1 2 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber); 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns; 1 2 sprigs fresh sage; 1 1 large garlic clove, smashed; 1 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf; 1 1 (4- to 4 1/2-lb) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed; 1 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage; 1 3 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber); 1 16 bacon slices (about 1 lb); 1 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 1 teaspoon water; 1 an instant-read thermometer

From the kitchen of Carly

A brined pork loin rubbed with sage and garlic, then wrapped in bacon and roasted until the meat is impossibly tender and juicy. The maple syrup caramelizes against the bacon, creating a salty-sweet crust you'll crave.

Prep: n/a
Cook: n/a
Total: n/a
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

4 servings

18 cups water
11/3 cup kosher salt
12 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber)
11/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
12 sprigs fresh sage
11 large garlic clove, smashed
11 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
11 (4- to 4 1/2-lb) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
13 garlic cloves, finely chopped
12 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
13 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B or amber)
116 bacon slices (about 1 lb)
11 tablespoon cider vinegar
11/2 teaspoon cornstarch
11 teaspoon water
1an instant-read thermometer

Instructions

Combine all brining ingredients except pork loin in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring, until salt is dissolved. Pour brine into a deep 4- to 5-quart pot; cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 2 hours.
Add pork to brine, making sure it is completely covered by brine, and marinate, covered and chilled, 8 to 24 hours.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Pat pork dry (discard brine) and remove any strings, then transfer to a roasting pan. Stir together garlic, sage, and 1 tablespoon syrup in a small bowl and rub all over pork. Lay bacon slices crosswise over loin, overlapping slightly, and tuck ends of bacon underneath loin.
Roast pork until thermometer registers 140°F, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir together 1 tablespoon syrup and vinegar until combined. Brush vinegar mixture over bacon slices and continue to roast pork until thermometer registers 150°F, about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand in pan 15 minutes. Transfer roast to a cutting board with a lip, reserving juices in pan, and let roast stand, uncovered, while making sauce.
Skim fat from pan juices and discard, then transfer jus to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into jus. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon syrup. Serve pork with sauce.