Pork Loin Roast with Apples

I bought a pork loin roast without any real plan for what to do with it, so I went browsing the web to see what I could find. This recipe from The Food Network caught my eye, so I decided to give it a go. Following is my version, with a few tweaks to account for my family's tastes and what I had on hand.

1 Two Pound Pork Loin Roast
Salt and Pepper
3/4 tsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dry, crumbled)
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 Medium Onion, Thickly Sliced
1 Celery Root (Celeriac), Peeled. 1/2-inch Dice
2 Medium Carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3 Apples, Cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced or Pressed
3/4 tsp Dry Thyme (or fresh if you have it)
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dry)
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Apple Juice or Cider
2 Tbsp Grainy Mustard
2 Tbsp Cold Butter

Take the roast out of the fridge 30 minutes or so before you plan to start cooking. Sprinkle it all over with salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary and let it sit on the counter.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Chop the veggies and apples.

Heat the canola oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the roast and brown all over, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the roast to a plate.

Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium and add the onions, celery root, carrots and rosemary sprig. Cook for about 5 minutes, and add the garlic, thyme, and apples. Continue cooking for another 4 minutes or so, until the vegetables are beginning to brown. Push the apple mixture to the sides of the pan, and place the roast in the center. Put in the oven and roast to an internal temperature of 135 degrees. You can use an instant-read thermometer, or insert a probe thermometer before you put the roast in the oven.

Remove the pan from the oven and place the roast on a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil. Put the apple mixture on a serving platter (discard any herb sprigs) and return the pan to high heat on the stove. Stir in the vinegar, stirring to get up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, then add the apple juice or cider. Reduce the juice by half, then turn off the heat. Whisk in the mustard, then the butter.

Slice the roast about 1/4 thick or so and arrange it over the apple mixture. Drizzle the roast with the sauce, and pass remaining sauce at the table. Enjoy!

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Brine for Pork Chops

While not strictly necessary, I like to brine my pork chops when I think of it and have time. It adds just a bit of extra insurance that the chops will come out nice and moist and juicy. Brining the meat makes it both more flavorful and juicier, so if you happen to leave it cooking a few extra minutes, it will still be excellent.

This is a basic brine that I really like. You could add other flavors with different types of sugar or honey, different vinegars, citrus juice, a little heat from chili flakes...You get the idea.

1 Cup Broth
2 Tbsp Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Cold Water
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Peppercorns
1 Clove Garlic, Peeled and Smashed
2 Center Cut Pork Chops

Combine the broth, salt, and brown sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour into a shallow bowl, and add the cold water, cider vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before adding the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate from 4-8 hours. Remove the pork chops from the brine, pat dry, and cook according to your recipe as you would non-brined chops.

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