Name: Svinjetina sa suvim šljivama
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Serbian / Southeast European
Ingredients: 1200 g boneless centre-cut pork loin, butterflied into one even sheet; 180 g pitted dried prunes, halved lengthwise if very large; 120 g thin smoked bacon, slices arranged in one layer; 20 g Dijon mustard; 10 g garlic, finely grated; 14 g olive oil; 6 g fine salt; 2 g black pepper, freshly ground; 150 ml low-sodium meat stock

Yield 8 servings

Preparation time 30 minutes

Cooking time 55 minutes

Passive time 10 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Pork loin roulade with dried prunes, smoked bacon and a thermometer-led roast

Svinjetina sa suvim šljivama brings together two ingredients that behave very differently in the oven: a lean piece of pork that can dry out if it is pushed too far, and dried fruit that softens and concentrates as it heats. Treating the meat as a roulade solves that contrast neatly. The pork is opened into one broad sheet, the prunes are placed inside rather than scattered around the pan, and the whole piece is rolled into a cylinder that can be sliced into a defined spiral.

Centre-cut boneless pork loin is the useful cut here because it is regular in shape and easy to butterfly without the seams and variable fat of shoulder. Its leanness also explains the thin smoked-bacon wrap. The bacon is not meant to become a thick outer stuffing; one overlapping layer protects the surface, adds salt and smoke, and gives the exterior a richer finish while the loin itself remains the main meat.

The dried prunes need no elaborate filling mixture. Their natural sugar and acidity are strong enough to give the centre contrast, while Dijon mustard and garlic form a thin savoury layer between fruit and pork. A small amount of stock in the roasting pan prevents the drippings from scorching and gives enough moisture for serving, but the roulade is not braised: the meat remains above the liquid and cooks by dry oven heat.

Rolling and tying deserve more attention than decorative browning. An even cylinder has a much smaller gap between the first cooked edge and the last cooked centre than an irregular bundle. Twine placed at regular intervals keeps the diameter consistent and holds the prune rows in position. The thermometer is then inserted into a thick meat section rather than directly into a prune pocket, where the reading would not represent the pork.

For an intact pork roast, the decisive endpoint is temperature followed by rest. The meat leaves the oven when the thickest section reaches at least 63 °C, then rests for ten minutes before carving; that rest is longer than the required three-minute minimum. Slicing immediately would lose more juice and loosen the spiral, while prolonged roasting for a darker interior would sacrifice the advantage of using a lean loin.

The result should not resemble a sweet meat dessert. Prune appears as a measured ribbon through each slice, bacon supplies a savoury edge, and the mustard-garlic layer keeps the fruit integrated with the pork. Served in thick cross-sections with a little defatted pan liquid, the roulade has enough structure for a main course without needing a cream sauce or additional filling.

Practical

Keep the cylinder evenA similar diameter from end to end gives the thermometer reading more meaning and reduces dry outer sections.
Measure meat, not fillingInsert the probe into the thickest pork away from the prune seam.
Rest before carvingThe full rest stabilizes both juice and the spiral, so slices stay intact.

Ingredients

Roulade

1200 g boneless centre-cut pork loin, butterflied into one even sheet
180 g pitted dried prunes, halved lengthwise if very large
120 g thin smoked bacon, slices arranged in one layer
20 g Dijon mustard
10 g garlic, finely grated
14 g olive oil
6 g fine salt
2 g black pepper, freshly ground
150 ml low-sodium meat stock

Directions

Build the rouladeLay the butterflied loin flat, season it with the salt and pepper, spread the mustard and garlic thinly, and arrange the prunes in rows that run across the future slices. Roll firmly from a long edge and tie at regular intervals. The rolled loin should have an even diameter from end to end, with the filling enclosed and the seam held firmly by the twine.
Wrap and heat the ovenLay the bacon slices around the tied pork in a single slightly overlapping layer and brush the outside with the olive oil. Pour the stock into the roasting pan beneath the rack and heat the oven to 190 °C. The bacon should overlap slightly without forming a thick second layer, and the oven should be fully heated to 190 °C before roasting.
Roast by temperatureSet the roulade on the rack and roast for 45–55 minutes. Start checking before the end of the window, placing the probe in the thickest section of pork and away from a prune pocket. The pork is ready to leave the oven when a food thermometer inserted into the thickest meat, away from the filling, reads at least 63 °C.
Rest and carveMove the roast to a clean board and leave it undisturbed for the full 10 minutes before cutting the twine. Whole pork that reaches 63 °C requires at least a 3-minute rest; this longer rest covers that safety minimum and improves carving. The slices should hold a clear spiral of pork, prune and bacon without the filling spilling out.

Practical

Serving

Slice the rested roulade about 1.5–2 cm thick and spoon over a little pan liquid after skimming excess surface fat. The sweet-savoury centre is concentrated, so neutral potatoes, grains or cooked vegetables are a better balance than another sweet sauce.

Make-ahead

The tied roulade can be assembled up to 12 hours ahead. Keep it covered at 4 °C or below and place it in the roasting pan only when the oven is heating. If it goes into the oven very cold, rely on the thermometer rather than trying to compensate with a fixed extra number of minutes.

Storage and reheating

Move leftovers to shallow covered containers and refrigerate within two hours at 4 °C or below. Use them within 3–4 days. Reheat sliced pork to 74 °C in the centre; adding a spoonful of stock and covering the dish helps protect the lean meat from drying while it reheats.

Control points

The spiral opens when slicedGuidance: Loose tying or premature carving is usually responsible.Adjustment: Tie at regular intervals and complete the full rest before cutting.
The pork is dryGuidance: It stayed in the oven well beyond the measured endpoint.Adjustment: Begin checking early and remove the roulade once the thickest meat has reached the safe temperature.

Nutrition

Serving size1 of 8 servings, about 165 g cooked roulade
Calories460 kcal
Carbohydrates16 g
Protein49 g
Fat22 g
Fibre2 g
Sodium720 mg

These figures are approximate and will vary with brands, trimming, absorption and exact portioning.

Allergens and food safety

Contains mustard; bacon and stock should be checked for any additional declared allergens. Keep raw pork and its board, knife and juices away from foods that will not be cooked. Cook the intact roulade to at least 63 °C in the thickest meat and give it at least a 3-minute rest; the method uses 10 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours at 4 °C or below and reheat them to 74 °C.

FAQ

Can the pork be cooked by colour alone?

No. Bacon and prune filling change the appearance of the roast, and colour does not establish a safe endpoint. A food thermometer placed in the meat is the reliable control.

Where should the thermometer go?

Insert it from the side or end into the thickest pork section, avoiding the prune seam and any large pocket of filling.

Result: Clean slices with juicy pork, a prune centre and a thin savoury bacon edge.

Key: Make the roll even, measure 63 °C in the meat and protect the finished texture with the full rest.