By Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post
Major yums in this dish, right? The short list of ingredients combined is surely come-hither: pork, salty bacon, fresh cracked pepper, bacon drippings. So the wines need to be yummy too. That means lots of aroma, flavor and perky acidity to get the juices going — and to foil the fat and salt in the preparation itself. Lots of possibilities, of red, white or pink, even sparkling. This is the kind of recipe with range; good wine pairings fill a wide berth, too. This time go far afield and visit some of the smaller wine producing regions of the globe; there are many.
HERE’S THE DISH …
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay 8-10 strips bacon, one next to the other and 11-12 inches long. Season a 1 to 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin or boned pork loin roast at room temperature with salt and pepper and sear on all sides in a film of oil until browned. Lay the loin over the bacon strips and wrap, covering the loin completely. (Tie the roast every inch with butcher’s twine if desired.) Lay the pork seam side down and cook for 25-30 minutes, basting with the pan juices twice, until internal temperature reads 130 degrees. Rest roast for 5 minutes before slicing thin and serving over a bed of vegetables.
AND PAIR IT WITH …
In Chile they make some perky and dry white wines out of the “sherry” grape called Pedro Ximenez. It’s terrific with lots of different foods. From Sicily, the reds made of the grape nerello mascalese are well appreciated. But try the dry roses from the same grape, too. They are far more flexible at table. Finally, I enjoyed a delicious sparkling wine from a small producer, Rivetto, in Piedmont, Italy, made (as a white wine) from the grape nebbiolo. Yes, nebbiolo; remove the skins and the juice is white. It’s a dry bubbly, with incisive acidity and a crisp finish.
Contact Bill St. John at bsjpost@gmail.com
