James's Cuban Bacon Sausage Stuffed Roast
1 x eye of round roast excess fat trimmed 4-5 lbs, about 4 x 9"
1 cup sour orange juice **see note
1 tbl chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
4 x garlic cloves, peeled finely minced
1/2 lb smoked slab bacon
3 oz chorizo sausage
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed manzanilla olives
3 tbl olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 x celery rib finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup Spanish sherry or dry red wine
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tbl Spanish paprika
1 pch nutmeg
2 x bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 sm new potatoes cooked
5 x carrots, peeled, cut diagonally 1" pieces cooked
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Method :
**If you don't have sour orange juice, substitute 3/4 cup orange juice mixed
with 1/4 cup lime juice.
Cut a small lengthwise cavity in the heart of the roast, almost but not quite to
the end of the meat. Mix together the sour orange juice, cilantro, oregano, and
garlic, then rub mixture in the cavity and over the entire roast. Marinate,
refrigerated, for 2 to 3 hours. Turn several times so that juices saturate all
parts of the roast.
In the container of a food processor or blender, process the bacon, chorizos,
and olives to a fine grind. Mix the contents with the marinade in a bowl.
Loosely stuff mixture into the cavity of the roast by pressing it with a
long-handled spoon as far into the cavity as possible.
Heat a large casserole that can be used on the stove as well as in the oven,
then add olive oil. When olive oil is heated and begins to smell fragrant, add
the roast and brown on all sides, turning with a large fork several times.
Remove the roast to a separate pan and reserve drippings.
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Add onion, celery, and the green and red peppers to the reserved drippings.
Combine well and then saute over medium-high heat until onions become
translucent but not browned. Add plum tomatoes, sherry, oregano, paprika,
nutmeg, bay leaves, and salt and pepper.
Return the browned roast to the casserole. Cover and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours,
basting constantly, until meat is fork tender. Do not turn off oven.
Remove the meat to a separate dish. Cool for at least 30 minutes. Place sauce in
a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours.
Skim fat from surface of sauce with a large spoon, then place sauce in the
container of a food processor or blender and process until liquefied. Pour into
a 10-inch saute pan. Adjust seasoning. Add the cooked potatoes and carrots, then
cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Using a very sharp knife so that roast does not crumble, carefully slice the
roast into 20 to 24 pieces, each about 1/4 inch thick. Place slices overlapping
on a large ovenproof platter so that center filling shows. Cover tightly with
foil so that meat does not dry out. Heat until warmed, about 15 minutes, then
raise temperature to 350F and heat for another 10 minutes.
Arrange potatoes and carrots around the meat slices, then spoon sauce over meat
and vegetables and serve remaining sauce in a covered heated gravy dish. Garnish
meat with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.