Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust. This recipe from Fine Cooking is delicious. Note that
you need time to brine it in the cider mixture. I doubt the couple of cloves of garlic in the brine would matter, but you could omit them. It got great reviews, too.
* Exported for MasterCook 4 by Living Cookbook *
Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust
Recipe By : Fine Cooking Jan 2008
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time: 0:00
Categories : Main Dish Pork
Vegetable
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
Brine8 cups cold apple cider or juice
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 4-lb boneless pork loin roast (or two 2-lb.
-- loins), trimmed only if it has a thick
-- layer of fat*Roast1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbs whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
1 large bulb fennel or 2 small bulbs, quartered,
-- cored, and thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored,
-- and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Brine the pork
1. Combine 2 cups of the apple cider or juice with the salt, brown sugar,
garlic, and thyme in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high
heat, stirring so the salt and sugar dissolve, about 3 minutes. Add the
remaining apple cider or juice and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a
large container, add the pork, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours
and up to 18 hours.
Roast the pork
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
2. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, mustard, thyme, and pepper. Drain
the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the pork all over with the
mustard mixture.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the fennel and apple with the oil, salt, and a few
generous grinds of pepper. Scatter the mixture in the bottom of a large
roasting pan (large enough to hold the pork with a couple of inches of space
around the perimeter). Put the pork, fat side up, on top of the fennel and
apples. Roast the pork until the crust just starts to brown, about 15
minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue cooking until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin registers 145°F, 30
to 50 minutes more.
4. Let rest for 10 minutes and then thinly slice a quarter to a third of the
pork. Serve, topped with the fennel, apple, and juices. Allow the remaining
pork to cool to room temperature, wrap well with foil, and refrigerate for
up to 5 days before using in the recipes that follow.
Cooking Tip: *Buy a whole pork loin: While most markets carry boneless pork
loins, they're often sold as half loins, weighing about 2 pounds. But for
evenness and simplicity of cooking, try to get a whole loin. The loin may
have an outer layer of fat and gristle, which imparts flavor during
roasting. It's best to remove this layer, however, when preparing leftovers.
Avoid so-called extra- tender or guaranteed-tender pork - it's been treated
with a sodium solution and has a spongy texture.
Comments: I like to leave some fat on the outside of the pork because it
browns beautifully and bastes the roast. I also make sure the pork sits in
the brine for at least 8 hours but preferably 16 to 18 hours for the
juiciest results. Finally, I scatter wedges of fennel and apple in the pan
to absorb the wonderful drippings during cooking. They also prevent the
glaze from scorching on the bottom of the pan. A coating of maple syrup and
whole- grain mustard gives this roast a fine caramelized crust.
Recipe Source: Fine Cooking Jan 2008
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http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/roasted-pork-loin-maple-mustard-crust.aspx
