Ingredients
1 (6-chop) pork rib roast
2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 leeks, washed well and sliced
Pinch crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 large Spanish onions, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh thyme
2 quarts apple cider
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Chunky Applesauce, recipe follows
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper and kosher salt and gently drizzle olive oil until it makes a paste. Rub the paste on the outside of the pork rib roast. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Slice the onions, season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven.
- Roast the pork at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a brown crust. Stir onions if needed to prevent burning. If needed, add more cider when the level starts to go down. Lower the oven to 375 degrees and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees. Cover with foil for the last 15 minutes. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and reserve for the applesauce. Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Carve accordingly. Serve with the onions braised in cider and Chunky Applesauce.
Chunky Applesauce:
Ingredients
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, or 6 Macintosh apples and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (toss the apples in lemon juice if not using right away)
1 1/2 cups of the reserved cider from the Roasted Pork Loin with Cider
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp of Calvados (or port wine)
Directions
- Pour reserved cider from pork roast into a pot, add chopped apples and bring to a low boil. Simmer until the apples start to soften, occasionally mashing with fork. Add the reserved cider, apple cider and cinnamon and cook over low-medium heat until most of the cider has evaporated and the apples are cooked and very soft. Serve atop pork roast.
