Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Fall is coming and whenever it comes I always want the oven on. I went to the local butcher and asked him for the best-looking pork lion he had!  And this is how the meal was created. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 (5-oz.) pkg. fresh baby spinach
• 3 ounces goat cheese (about 2/3 cup), at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 (3-lb.) boneless pork loin
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to:

• Preheat the oven to 350
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add minced garlic, and thyme; cook 2 minutes, stirring often, until the aroma of the garlic and thyme combine. Add spinach; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until wilted. Remove from heat.
• Combine goat cheese and parsley in a small bowl.
• Holding knife flat and parallel to cutting board, cut horizontally through the center of pork loin, cutting to, but not through, another side. Open flat, as you would a book. Starting at the center seam, cut horizontally through each half, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open flat on either side. Place pork between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small, heavy skillet. Remove plastic wrap.
• Season with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread goat cheese mixture evenly in the pork. Roll up pork jelly-roll fashion. Tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle with remaining salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

• Wipe pan clean. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add pork; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Place stuffed pork in a 5-quart slow cooker.

• Add butter to pan; reduce heat to medium. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until butter melts. Pour over pork loin in heavy duty cooking pan and cook for 45 – 60 minutes in the oven at 350°F, or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of pork registers 145°F.

• Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes.

• Remove and discard twine. Slice pork into 12 slices; and serve.