Cider-Roasted Pork Loin With Pickled Apples and Chiles

Name: Cider-Roasted Pork Loin With Pickled Apples and Chiles
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon allspice berries; 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds; Pinch kosher salt; 1 large tart apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices; 2 small jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced; 1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) boneless pork loin (not tenderloin); 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus more rosemary sprigs for garnish; 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 large, tart apple, halved, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices; 1 onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices; 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half; 1/2 cup chicken stock, more as needed; About 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) hard apple cider or chicken stock, more as needed; 1 tablespoon butter, cubed

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 1½ hours, plus at least 2 hours’ pickling and marinating
Rating: 4(745)
Comments: Read comments

Roasting a pork loin on a bed of apples, onions and cinnamon moistened with cider gives the meat a caramelized sweetness and spicy perfume. The roast browns on top while the apples and onions collapse into a meltingly tender, golden heap beneath it. Then, to offset all the soft richness, bright and tangy pickled apples and chiles are served alongside. It’s a dish that’s both company worthy and cozy, as perfect for a Sunday supper, spooned over mashed potatoes or polenta, as it is served to guests alongside an elegant gratin. Keep some extra apple cider on hand to add to the pan if it dries out and starts to burn. Just a splash or two should do it.

Featured in: A Different Kind of Sheet Pan Supper

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

For the Quick-pickled Apples and Chiles

¼cup cider vinegar
1tablespoon sugar
¼teaspoon allspice berries
¼teaspoon coriander seeds
Pinch kosher salt
1large tart apple, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
2small jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

For the Pork

1(2½ to 3-pound) boneless pork loin (not tenderloin)
2teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus more rosemary sprigs for garnish
2teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
2teaspoons kosher salt
½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1large, tart apple, halved, cored, and sliced into ¼-inch slices
1onion, halved and cut into ¼-inch slices
3garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1cinnamon stick, broken in half
½cup chicken stock, more as needed
About 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) hard apple cider or chicken stock, more as needed
1tablespoon butter, cubed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
To make the pickled apples, in a small pot, combine ¼ cup water with vinegar, sugar, allspice, coriander and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 2
Put apples and jalapeños in a medium heatproof bowl or jar, and pour hot vinegar mixture on top. Let cool to room temperature and let pickle for at least 2 hours. (Mixture can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in the refrigerator.)
Step 3
Rub pork all over with rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate, fat side up and uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Step 4
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place pork on a rimmed 11-by-18-inch sheet pan. Scatter apples, onion, garlic and cinnamon stick in an even layer around pork loin. Transfer baking sheet to oven rack, and add chicken stock, then carefully pour in cider (it’s best to position pan in oven, then pour in liquid). You may not need all of the cider here. You can add more later as it roasts — stop if it threatens to overflow.
Step 5
Roast until pork reaches 135 degrees internally, 35 to 50 minutes. Keep an eye on the pork. If all the cider evaporates and baking dish starts to burn while the pork is cooking, add a splash more cider.
Step 6
Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Step 7
Meanwhile, transfer roasted apples, onions and garlic to a serving platter (discard cinnamon sticks). Scrape jus and any golden bits from baking sheet into a small pot, and bring to a simmer (add a little more chicken stock if needed). Whisk in butter and a pinch of salt and cook until the sauce is reduced by about a third (you just want to thicken it up a bit), 3 to 7 minutes. Pour in any juices from the cutting board where the pork loin is resting.
Step 8
Slice pork and place on a serving platter, along with the roasted apples and onions. Drizzle some of the sauce and also some of the liquid from the pickled apples on top. Garnish with the rosemary, and serve with pickled apples and jalapeños alongside.

Ratings

4 out of 5

745 user ratings

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Comments

Ululani6 years ago

Everyone loved this. I used what I had on hand- one Granny Smith and one Fuji, part red, part white onions, plus a fennel bulb, for the roast. Used parchment; didn’t need extra liquid for cooking, though I wished I could’ve wrung some of the drippings out of it for the sauce. Doubled the picking juice for the apple (Granny), which mos def needed an hour or more to marinate- really added to the dish! Reduced heat by 25 deg for convection roasting. Perfect at 135!

mjan6 years ago

Nordic Ware makes a 2" deep sheet pan that is perfect for this dish (and other roasts). Line it with parchment paper, put down the apples, onions and such, set in a rack, and place the roast on top. Everything this dish promises and no worries about too much liquid.

Charlene Del Muro5 years ago

This was delicious! After rubbing the herbs, salt & pepper on the meat, I coated it with dijon mustard and let it chill for about 3 hours. I substituted fresh-squeezed tangerine juice because I didn't have cider and it was so good, I'd use it again instead. Cooked it in a cast iron skillet so no worries about liquid overflowing and you can just finish the sauce in the skillet, no need to transfer to a pot. Definitely a keeper!

Nix1 month ago

Used a cast iron skillet per one of the other comments and will not do that again. Flavors were delicious but the color was unappetizing - everything was Greige. Assuming the sheet pan allows the onions and apples to carmelize a bit?

Ian4 months ago

Did everything quicker than the recipe called for, and it was all still delicious. Definitely needed more liquid (I used a half sheet), but the flavors came together fantastically. Served with the Cabbage Caesar that's elsewhere on the NYT site and thought that was a great pairing.

SBC4 months ago

This was an amazing dish. I doubled the liquid in the sheet pan for baking and still had to add over a cup more of apple cider. I too forgot to bring out the pickled apples/chiles, but they weren't missed. I added an extra apple for baking and wished I had added two.

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