How to Double Butterfly a Pork Loin (4 Steps)

The popular pork loin is often butterflied, or cut open, then stuffed with flavorful dressings, herb butters, or other tasty fillings. In contrast to a regular butterfly technique, where one cut is used to open the pork loin, a double butterfly technique opens the roast with two parallel cuts. More of the meat is exposed, resulting in an even distribution of the filling. Besides improving the flavor of your stuffed pork loin, the double butterfly technique results in a lovely pinwheel presentation.

Things You'll Need

3- to 4-pound boneless pork loin, rinsed and patted dry
Cutting board

Very sharp, long, thin-bladed boning knife or chef's knife
Optional meat cleaver or heavy, clean bottle

Instructions

Place the pork roast, fat side down, on a cutting board. Position the roast so that a short end is facing you. Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board.
Cut the roast lengthwise, starting about one third of the way up from the bottom of the roast. End the cut about 1 inch before you reach the other edge of the roast, ensuring not to cut all the way through. Open up the flap, as if you are turning a page in a book.
Begin another lengthwise cut in the thicker, formerly top facing part of your opened roast. Make this cut about half way in the middle of of this thicker section. End this cut about 1 inch before you reach the edge.
Open up the second flap so that you now have a large rectangle of meat, fat side down. Flatten the meat with the heel of your hand, meat cleaver or heavy clean bottle to a uniform thickness. Your pork loin is now ready to be stuffed, rolled, tied and cooked.

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