Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 2 lbs boneless, center cut pork loin
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 1 Tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp salted butter, cold
Season the Pork and Prep Your Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 400F with a rack in the center position.
Pat the pork loin dry and season all over with the pepper and 1 tsp of the salt.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, carrots, potatoes, garlic, thyme, allspice, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and toss until evenly coated.
Brown the Pork Loin on All Sides
Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is glistening, add the pork and brown on all sides, including the two flat ends – this takes ~12 minutes total.
You want good color on every surface; this is what builds flavor for the gravy later.
Transfer the pork to a plate.
Add Vegetables and Roast for 35 Minutes
Reduce the heat to low and add 3/4 cup of the chicken stock to the pot.
Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom – those are flavor gold.
Add the seasoned vegetables and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, ~2-3 minutes.
Nestle the pork back in along with any collected juices and roast in the oven for 35 minutes.
Add Apples and Finish Roasting
Remove the pot from the oven and add the apple slices around the pork, nestling them into the vegetables.
Roast until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145F on an instant-read thermometer and the vegetables are tender, ~10 more minutes.
The apples should be soft but not falling apart.
Rest the Pork and Make Apple Cider Gravy
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables and apples to a serving platter, but keep all the liquid in the pot.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and the flour until there are no lumps.
Return the Dutch oven to medium heat and add the apple cider vinegar and apple cider.
Scrape up any remaining browned bits and cook for ~1 minute.
Slowly stream in the flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the gravy has thickened, ~5 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter until completely melted.
The butter gives the gravy a glossy finish and rounds out the flavor.
Slice and Serve
Slice the pork against the grain and arrange on top of the vegetables.
Serve with the apple cider gravy alongside – you’ll want to pour it over everything.
Roasted Pork Loin with Apple Cider Gravy
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 2 lbs boneless center cut pork loin
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 medium red onion cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 1 Tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp salted butter cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss vegetables with oil, salt, thyme, and allspice in a large bowl.
- Brown pork in Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 12 minutes.
- Remove pork and deglaze pot with chicken stock.
- Add vegetables and return pork to pot.
- Roast for 35 minutes.
- Add apple slices and roast 10 more minutes until pork reaches 145F.
- Remove pork and transfer vegetables to serving platter.
- Whisk flour with remaining stock.
- Add cider and vinegar to pot, then flour mixture.
- Simmer gravy for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Whisk in cold butter.
- Slice pork against grain and serve with vegetables and gravy.
