I was at the library yesterday, which happens to be right down the street from San Francisco Meats & Deli , so I stopped in and bought this lovely pork loin. I hate those ones that you get at the grocery store, that are so lean that it's impossible to keep them from drying out. That layer of fat on the top - that's the flavor!
I checked out Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home, which is no longer in print - a shame, because I really like what I have read so far. Bittman explains in detail why he created each recipe, and how it works to achieve the desired result. There are some black and white photos to illustrate some technique, but other than that there are no pictures - usually a turn-off for me, but with this book I make an exception.
It just so happened that there was just the pork recipe inside that I was looking for, "Roasted Pork with Applesauce". I almost didn't realize it (no picture!). I must have read it at least 6 times before taking the plunge to go ahead and make it, and even so, I cut the pork loin in half so there would be some left in case it didn't turn out.
But I kept liking what it said. This was a recipe that Bittman came up with because while he liked the taste of using jam or marmalade on roasted pork, he didn't like the sugary sweetness. Through experimentation, he found that creating a "crust" of applesauce yielded a sweet, but not too sweet, result. In theory, perfect. But roasting applesauce on pork? Weird? Mushy? Like baby food meets meat?
I had nothing to fear. The recipe was as simple as can be, and did everything that it said that it would. The high heat caramelized the applesauce, and it kept the meat incredibly moist. I cooked it longer than the 45 minutes that the recipe called for - maybe even 20 minutes longer, at 400, to make sure that some of that fat melted down and that the sauce browned and blackened a bit (the best part!) I also liberally salted and peppered it, because I love the contrast of salt and sweet. And seriously, 2 ingredients (besides salt and pepper) - you can't get more minimalist than that.
This is for 4 servings, 15 minutes work time, 60 minutes estimated total.
Roast Pork with Applesauce
- One 1.5 to 2 lb pork loin
- 2 C applesauce, preferably unsweetened
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Meanwhile, put the applesauce in a fine strainer over a bowl or in the sink to allow excess liquid to drain.
Line a roasting pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil and brush the foil with a little oil.
When the oven is hot, sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper, then spread an even layer of the applesauce all over it, using up all of the applesauce. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and roast, checking every 15 minutes or so to make sure that the applesauce doesn't burn. It's ok if it darkens and browns, or even turns dark brown, as long as the top doesn't blacken. (my note: i liked a little bit of blackening)
Begin checking the pork with an instant-read thermometer after 45 minutes. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, remove from the oven. Let rest 5 minutes before carving.
