Herb-Stuffed Pork Loin with Chimichurri

I love Gordon Ramsay. That statement might have seemed to come from nowhere but you're wrong because this dish was inspired by one he made. Originally we were going to smoke the pork but decided that was too much work for such a large cut of meat. I'm actually glad we didn't smoke it because I feel like the smokey flavor wouldn't have paired as well with the herbs and the Chimichurri.

Speaking of Chimichurri, you can change the herbs to fit your taste. Don't like parsley (me either)? Use more cilantro or no parsley at all. Don't like cilantro? Don't make Chimichurri because cilantro Chimichurri is the best sauce known to man. I used tarragon because I was serving it with pork. You could just as easily use chervil, savory, or marjoram.

To make this recipe, you'll need:

Pork

5lbs pork loin

Zest of 1 lemon

6-8 sprigs of tarragon, leaves only

6-8 sprigs of cilantro

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chimichurri Sauce

1-2 tbsp fresh oregano

1-2 tbsp fresh tarragon

1/2 cup parsley leaves

1 cup cilantro leaves

3 cloves garlic

5 pickled jalapeño rings

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Make the Chimichurri first so it can sit in the fridge while you cook the pork. Put the cilantro, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, jalapeño rings, and tarragon into a food processor and blend until they're chopped into tiny pieces.

Next, add the lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Blend until it's a smooth sauce. Pour into a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set in the fridge until ready to serve.

Now it's time to stuff the pork. Preheat the oven to 350. Begin by cutting a diamond pattern into the fat on top of the pork using the tip of your knife. Rub salt and pepper into the cracks to ensure it gets nice and crispy in the oven.

Now turn the pork over and cut into the middle of the roast, making a lengthwise incision almost but not quite all the way through and open it like a hot dog roll. Stuff it with your cilantro, tarragon, and lemon zest, season it with salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil inside.

Tie it back together using kitchen twine. Drizzle the top with olive oil and lemon juice.

Roast it for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or 15 minutes per pound. Let it rest while you prepare a quick side, in our case more green beans. Then serve it with the Chimichurri and realize that this is the thing you've been missing in your life all these years.

Prep: 20min

Cook: 1hr, 20min