This fall-inspired dish is the perfect entree for any dinner party or holiday menu. Not only is it quick and simple to make, pork loin is a relatively budget-friendly cut of meat, so you can save your pennies for your other courses! We recommend pairing this Roasted Pork Loin With Apples with some sides, like Orange-Scented Mashed Butternut Squash or Toasted Sesame Balsamic Asparagus, and finishing your meal with some four-star desserts, like Macadamia-White Chocolate Brownies or Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip Cheesecake!
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 boneless, center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed and tied (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion
3 medium carrots
3 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic
2 crisp, tart apples, such as Jonathan or Cortland
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Season the pork loin generously with salt and black pepper. Sear the meat until golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
2. Meanwhile, thickly slice onion. Cut each carrot and celery rib into 4 chunks. Smash and peel the garlic. Peel and core the apples and cut into 8 slices each.
3. Transfer the meat to a plate. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, herb sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are browned, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sliced apples; then push the mixture to the sides and place the pork loin in the middle of the skillet along with any collected juices from the plate. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145°F to 150°F, 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil while you make the sauce. Arrange the apples and vegetables on a serving platter. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Return the skillet to high heat and add the vinegar, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Boil until vinegar is syrupy and reduced by half. Add the cider and reduce by half again. Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the mustard, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter. Season with salt and black pepper
5. Cut the strings from the pork if needed. Slice about 1/2 inch thick and arrange slices over the apple mixture. Drizzle some sauce over meat and serve the rest on the side.
Apple Wisdom:
- Use crisp apples for cooking. They retain their shape and don’t end up as applesauce.
- Apple cider is unfiltered apple juice -- it’s thicker, tangier, and more appley-tasting than juice. Because it’s unfiltered, it’s got a cloudy look to it; that’s totally normal.
Cook's Note: If you cook your pork this way, it’ll still be pink on the inside. It’s perfectly fine to eat, but if you don’t want pink, cook it to 160°F. It’ll still be tasty, but not quite as juicy.
Excerpted from How to Boil Water with permission from Meredith Books and Television Food Network, GP 2006.
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