A Wine Pairing Recipe: Pork

Major yums in this recipe, 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.

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 roast 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.

Wines:
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 rosés from the same grape, too. They are far more flexible at table. Finally, enjoy one of many possible sparkling wines made of red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo for the extra body that they often can bring. Red grape varieties for bubbles? Yes; remove the skins and the juice is white. They are, by and large, dry wines with incisive acidity and a crisp finish.

Here’s more about Pairing Food and Wine on this site.