Ask your butcher for a boneless pork roast with a slit cut three-quarters of the way down the middle (but still attached) so there is a large pocket for the stuffing. The pocket is filled with a savory apple and breadcrumb stuffing, and the roast is surrounded by apple chunks, cloves of garlic, and a splash of apple cider, and placed in a hot oven. The high heat causes the apples to cook down into a delicious, naturally chunky applesauce. (Be sure to have kitchen string on hand to truss the roast.)

Serves 6 to 8

For the stuffing:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
Generous grinding black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
½ tablespoon chopped fresh sage, chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 large tart apple, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
3/4 cup breadcrumbs, homemade or storebought
1/3 cup apple cider
For the roast:
One 4-pound boneless pork roast, with a slit cut ¾ of the way down the middle, but not all the way through
1/8 teaspoon salt
Generous grinding black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, very thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves whole
5 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges each
1 ½ cups apple cider

To make the stuffing, in a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over low heat. Add the onion and chopped garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the chives, parsley, sage, and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped apple and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, cider, and salt and pepper to taste. (The stuffing can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Open the meat up and season both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle both sides with half the sage and half the rosemary. Spread the filling along the bottom half of the meat, making sure to spread it out in an even layer. Cut five 18-inch lengths of kitchen string. Roll the meat up. Lift the pork up, take one piece of the kitchen string and tie it tightly, width-wise, to hold the stuffing in. Repeat with the remaining strings, tying a knot every 3 inches or so. Place the meat, with the fat side up, in a large roasting or broiler pan.
Use a sharp knife to score several large “Xs” in the fat side of the roast. Insert the thinly sliced garlic into the “Xs” and tuck several slices under the string. Place the whole garlic cloves and the apple wedges around the roast, and pour the cider on top. Sprinkle the roast and the apples with salt and pepper, and the remaining sage and rosemary.
Roast on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 and roast for about 1 hour, basting the meat once or twice. When done, a meat thermometer stuck in the middle of the roast will register between 150 to 155 degrees and the stuffing will be hot. The stuffing may “ooze” out of the roast, but it is still delicious and can be served in a separate bowl. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before removing string and thinly slicing. The apples will cook down and form a thick applesauce — spoon it over the meat to serve.