Stuffed Rotisserie Pork Roast

By Tim McGinnis, Erath Cellar Operations and Maintenance

The soft, fruit-forward style of Erath’s Oregon Pinot Noir inspired longtime winery employee Tim McGinnis to create this flavorful pork roast with Pinot Noir marinade. This dish pairs well with the wine that flavors the dish or the 2006 Estate Selection Pinot Noir, which offers complimentary juicy red plum flavors and a luscious, silky mouthfeel.

INGREDIENTS

1  3- to 4-pound pork roast
1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks (or pre-cut pineapple from the produce aisle)
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
* ginger, freshly ground, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
½–1 cup olive oil
1 cup Pinot Noir (approximate)

1. Pound the roast flat. Using a sharp knife, start at one end and cut a slit through the center going down the length of the roast. (You can ask your butcher to make an end-to-end pocket in the roast.) Stuff the pineapple chunks, slices of onion and yellow pepper into the opening. 2. Place any remaining pepper slices and juice from the pineapple in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt, ginger and garlic. Add the oil and emulsify. Pour into a Ziploc bag, and add approximately 1 cup Pinot Noir. Place the roast into the mixture. Marinate for 24 hours. 3. Next day, preheat grill and follow instructions for using rotisserie. Place the pork roast snuggly onto the center of the rotisserie rod (or inside the rotisserie basket, if available). Calculate cooking time by the weight of your roast, at least 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 140 to 150°F. Carefully remove the roast, and transfer onto a serving platter. Serves 6 to 8.

WINE SUGGESTION: Erath 2006 Estate Selection Pinot Noir 

Erath Winery

Dick Erath is one of the original wine pioneers of Oregon. His story alone could fill up a book, and, in fact, it does: “The Boys Up North: Dick Erath and the Early Oregon Winemakers” by Paul Pintarich.

In the 1960s, Erath traveled up and down the West Coast in search of an ideal place to grow Pinot Noir. He chose the northern Willamette Valley and made extensive studies of the soil and climate; he was convinced that this was the place where he could make his dream of world-class, affordable Pinot Noir a reality.

Two years later, he planted his first vines in the Chehalem Mountains. His 1972 vintage consisted of a modest 216 cases of Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Erath’s 1972 Pinot Noir and Riesling both won Gold Medals at the Seattle Enologoical Society wine judging. That same year, Dick planted a vineyard in the iron-rich red soils of the Dundee Hills for his new business partner, Cal Knudsen. The winery became known as Knudsen Erath in 1975. After a dozen years together, Dick bought out Cal’s interest in the winery and by 1993 reverted the wine brand back to Erath Winery. In 2006, Erath sold the winery to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

Today, as the winery enters its fourth decade of winemaking, Erath Winery remains committed to crafting exceptional Pinot Noir that reflects the rich history of the brand and the prestige of the region. The Oregon Pinot legacy, spirit and vision of founder Dick Erath continues to evolve under acclaimed winemaker Gary Horner. The winery produces around 120,000 cases of wine per year, and almost three-fourths of the wine is Pinot Noir; they also produce Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.

Erath Winery is located at 9409 N.E. Worden Hill Rd., Dundee. The tasting room is open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 503-538-3318 or visit www.erath.com .