Bacon wrapped pork

Yes, I did say that. No joke.

And yes, I am thinking of going to therapy for being a baconaholic....

But before I go there, just hear me out. Please?

Because this recipe is really, really good. No joke, your friends and family may ridicule you for wrapping your pig in pork, but they will then bow at your feet....worshipping the pork God/Goddess that you have become.

We finally defrosted the last part of the wild boar that Brock brought home for a gathering of friends last night. Wild pig doesn't have much fat on or in it, so after googling through multiple websites and finding that most folks recommended that it be wrapped in bacon to keep it moist. (Like I was gonna argue)

The recipe I opted for was out of Gourmet Magazine from 2006 and is posted on Epicurious.com. I only made minor adjustments tot he sauce as there was not a lot of liquid in the roasting pan at the end, so I deglazed the pan a bit to stretch the sauce.

Maple Brined Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, March 2006

For brining pork

4 C Water

1/3 C Kosher Salt

1/4 C Maple syrup (Grade B or amber)

1/2 tsp Black Pepper, ground

1 Garlic Clove, smashed

1 (4- to 4 1/2-lb) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

For roasting pork

3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1 T Ground Sage

1/4 C Maple Syrup (Grade B or amber)

16 bacon slices (about 1 lb)

1 T Cider Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 C Water

Brine pork:

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, add ice until it is cold. Add pork to brine, making sure it is completely covered by brine, and marinate, covered and chilled, 8 to 24 hours.

Roast pork:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove pork from brine and rinse quickly under cold water, pat pork dry and then transfer to a roasting pan. Stir together garlic, sage, and 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 130°F. Stir together 1 tablespoon syrup and vinegar until combined. Brush vinegar mixture over bacon slices and continue to roast pork until thermometer registers 135°F, about 10 minutes more, turn oven to broil if the bacon needs crisping. 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.

Deglaze pan with water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Pour in to a saucepan, straining out the solids.Skim fat from pan juices and discard then 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.

And then serve up Sarah's Roasted Potatoes with sauteed leeks and onions and Alicia's Grilled Vegetable Skewers and Sweet Corn, it's a feast!