Pork Loin Roast with Cranberry Reduction
Pork Loin Roast with Cranberry Reduction
Dear Eden and Claire, Now that we are no longer together hunkering down for Covid, how have you been spending your days quarantined? I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen which has been strangely comforting. I've been thinking of the times I gathered around the table at my grandma's house for Sunday dinner. She's been gone for many years and so have my parents, but the memories are fresh and I miss those days so much. I think we will all appreciate gathering a lot more once this is over.
This week I tried to recreate the meal Claire and I had recently at Stone Ground Kitchen in Salt Lake City - Pork Loin Roast over Fried Polenta with Cranberry Reduction. It was incredible and it reminded me a little of my cranberry pot roast. This recipe is pretty close minus the fried Polenta which I haven't yet had time to perfect. In the meantime, try this with creamy risotto or orzo pasta mixed with a little butter and chopped herbs. I tend to serve with orzo because it's easy and fast.
1 pork loin roast
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 onion chopped fine
16 oz. Kitchen Basics beef stock (plus 8 oz. to use later)
1 tablespoon Better than Bullion Beef (or 1 oz Knorr Homestyle Concentrated Beef Stock)
1 14 oz can whole cranberry sauce. I use homemade if it's cranberry season.
1 cup cranberry juice (I use Langers, it’s 100% juice)
Rub meat with salt, pepper and the minced garlic. Add all of the ingredients to a dutch oven and cook slow for 3 to 4 hours. Internal temperature of the pork should be about 145 degrees.
Alternatively use your crock pot. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours on low, until the pork is tender.
About 1 hour before the roast is finished, remove 3/4 of the liquid from the dutch oven or crock pot. Then add about 1 cup of water or beef stock to the dutch oven or crockpot and continue to cook the roast.
Place the cranberry liquid in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Place in the refrigerator and let cool so that the fat will solidify. Skim the fat from the sauce and reheat.
To serve, I place slices of pork on top of the meat and drizzle sauce on top.
