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By Root 1743 0

cranberry, and the resulting sauce is delicious spooned over the roast or served on the side. A wild rice pilaf with dried cranberries and bits of orange zest would be an ideal side dish.

2 tablespoons olive oil

One 3- to 4-pound pork loin roast, tied

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped

Two 16-ounce cans whole-berry cranberry sauce

Grated zest of 2 oranges

Juice of 2 oranges (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

½ cup beef broth

spray the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Sprinkle the roast with 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and add to the pan.

saute the pork on all sides until browned. Transfer the roast to the slow-cooker insert. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook the roast on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

remove the cover, transfer the roast to a cutting board, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce. Stir the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

slice the roast and nap with some of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce in a gravy boat on the side.

serves 6–8

Pork Loin Braised in Cider with Apples and Cream

This flavorful dish is reminiscent of those served in bistros on the Normandy coast of France. The succulent pork, infused with the sweetness of cider, is perfect over buttered noodles. Leftover pork and sauce may be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to six weeks.

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

One 2½- to 3-pound pork loin roast, rolled and tied

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

½ cup apple cider

1 cup beef stock

4 large Gala or Braeburn apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each

¾ cup heavy cream (see savvy)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound buttered cooked wide egg noodles

heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Make a paste of the mustard and sugar and spread over the roast on all sides. Add the roast to the pan and brown on all sides. Add the onion and thyme to the sauté pan and cook until the onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

transfer the roast, onion, and any bits from the bottom of the pan to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the cider and beef stock. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Remove the cover and add the apples and cream. Cover and cook on high for an additional 1 hour.

remove the pork from the slow-cooker insert, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Remove the strings from the roast, cut into thin slices, and serve the pork on the buttered noodles, napping both with some of the sauce.

serves 6–8

* * *

low-fat savvy

For a sauce with less fat, omit the cream. The cream rounds out the sauce and gives it a luxurious flavor, but it’s good without the cream as well.

Pork Loin in Plum Bourbon Sauce

Pork loin is made sweeter with the addition of dried plums, and a smoky quality comes from the addition of bourbon to flavor the braise. The flavors are a terrific combination and pair well with scalloped potatoes or a vegetable gratin.

24 dried plums

1½ cups beef broth

One 4-pound pork loin roast, rolled and tied

½ cup Dijon mustard

2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup bourbon

1 teaspoon dried sage

1½ teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

combine the plums and beef broth in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Dry the outside of the roast with paper towels. Rub the meat all over with the mustard, then roll it in the brown sugar, coating it evenly.

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast