Peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, cookies and milk… all are delicious duos for the ages. But none are as delicious as the culinary couple featured in this hearty fall roast recipe: Apples and bacon.

The sweet crunch of SweeTango apples with savory, crispy bacon is irresistible. Both flavors come together beautifully in this SweeTango-stuffed pork loin. The recipe is simple enough for an ordinary weeknight dinner, but impressive enough for a weekend dinner party.

SweeTango apples are tucked inside a tender, juicy pork loin and the whole thing is crusted with savory double smoked bacon. Add the delectable red wine sauce and a hunk of crusty whole grain bread and your dinner guests will marvel at your culinary prowess. And probably ask for seconds.

Bacon Crusted Pork Loin Stuffed with SweeTango Apples

Ingredients:
3 lb. pork loin roast
1/2 cup chopped double smoked bacon or double smoked pork loin, diced into ¼ inch cubes
1 cup cored and chopped, SweeTango apple
1 cup chopped leeks
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped cremini or button mushrooms
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. cracked black pepper, divided
1/2 cup fresh or dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Sauce:
2 tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 cup diced shallots
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 cup Port or any sweet red wine
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet on medium heat, cook bacon until browned, transfer to plate. Drain all but 1 tbsp. of the rendered fat from the pan. Add apples, leeks, celery, mushrooms, thyme, half of the salt and pepper; cooking until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool and toss with breadcrumbs, bacon and parsley.

Butterfly the pork loin or ask your butcher to do this for you before you bring it home. Place filling in the center of the loin; tie with string to secure. Sprinkle pork with remaining salt and pepper and place in roasting pan. Place roasting pan in the center of the oven until the roast is cooked through, about 60 minutes. Let rest, tented with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Make the sauce while the roast is in the oven:
Over medium-high heat, melt half the butter in a skillet. Add shallots and thyme to the butter and cook until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add Port and cook until reduced by half. Add chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add remaining butter and stir until melted (it will thicken and bind the sauce). Serve with sliced pork roast.