Dried Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients

• For the brine:
• 2 quarts cold water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 boneless pork loin, about 3 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
• For the stuffing:
• 1/4 pound dried apricot halves
• 1/4 pound dried figs
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 3 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs finely chopped
• Type of fire: two-zone indirect
• Grill heat: high

Directions

1. Stir the salt and sugar into 2 quarts of cold water in a large container until they dissolve. Add the pork loin, making sure it is fully covered by the brine, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2. In a medium saucepan, add the apricots, figs, raisins, apple juice, chicken broth, sage leaves, butter, ginger, garlic, and lemon juice. Set over medium heat and cook until the dried fruit has plumped and the liquid has cooked down by half, about 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Scrape the fruit mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until it is thick and smooth.
3. Take the pork out of the brine, rinse it with cold water, and dry it well with paper towels. Use a sharpening steel or wooden dowel to make a tunnel through the middle of the loin. Use your fingers to enlarge the tunnel. Spoon the sauce into a pastry bag fitted with a metal tip and pipe it into the opening, filling the loin from end to end.
4. Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. Once the charcoal is burning and coated in gray ash, dump it onto 1 side of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the grill, and let it heat for 5 minutes. Scrub the grate clean and oil it. Brush the pork loin all over with olive oil, then season it with the herb mixture, salt, and pepper. Set the pork over the hot side of the grill and brown it on every side, for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Shift the pork loin to the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook until an instant-read thermometer, with its probe in the center, reads 160 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes longer. Take it off the grill, rest it for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.