Food & Recipes
Stopped by a Recipe: Cider-Brined Pork Roast with Potatoes and Onions
Cider-Brined Pork Roast with Potatoes and Onions
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If a recipe stops you more than once then you definitely need to actually make it. I have seen this recipe reprinted on a couple of different sites that I subscribe to and it has stopped me on each reading – So now I’m going to have to have friends over so I can actually make it! The photos that have been printed with it are so beautiful and the recipe seems so incredibly simple that it’s on my very short list. The one thing I would suggest whenever you are looking at any recipe is to read the reviews. I’ve found that there are very often some great suggestions or comments on the recipe directions that can be extremely helpful. Sometimes they are seasoning suggestions or just what to serve it with but they are always helpful. With this recipe the suggestions I’m going to follow are to add baby carrots to the veggies and after the roast is cooked to put the veggies back in the pan in the oven to crisp up. I LOVE roasted vegetables with crispy edges – They’re like candy to me. I may even follow the suggestion of using a boneless pork roast and reduce the cook time to 60 minutes. It might not be as pretty but it will cook a little faster for sure. Always allow your roasted meats to rest. That way you won’t have juice running all over your cutting board and those precious juices will stay IN the meat where you want them. You don’t need any other vegetables, just add a green salad and your favorite wine and you have a party. The best part is your house smells GREAT. I found this delicious recipe by Dawn Perry featured in a reprint from Bon Apetit, October 2013.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 cup kosher salt plus more
- 8 bay leaves, divided
- 3 tablespoons coriander seeds, divided
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns plus more freshly ground
- 1 quart unfiltered apple cider
- 1 8-bone pork loin roast (about 5 lb.), chine bone removed, rib bones frenched, tied with kitchen twine
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 lb.), unpeeled, quartered
- 4 medium red and/or yellow onions, halved, stem ends intact
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Bring brown sugar, 1 cup salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, 1 tsp. peppercorns, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar and salt dissolve, about 4 minutes. Transfer brine to a large bowl and add cider and 2 cups ice.
- Let cool.
- Place pork and brine in a large (2-gal.) resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and chill at least 8 hours.
- Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
- Toss potatoes and onions with 4 Tbsp. oil in a large roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°. Using the side of a chef’s knife, crush remaining 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds. Season pork with salt and pepper and rub all over with crushed coriander. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork until browned on all sides, 8–10 minutes.
- Transfer pork to roasting pan and nestle in among vegetables.
- Tuck remaining 6 bay leaves under kitchen twine over top of pork. Wrap bone tips with foil to prevent burning and roast, turning vegetables halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of pork registers 140°, 60–75 minutes.
- Remove foil from bones and transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 30 minutes before slicing between ribs into chops.
- Do Ahead: The pork can be brined 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.