Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust

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I like to leave some fat on the outside of the pork because it browns beautifully and bastes the roast. I also make sure the pork sits in the brine for at least 8 hours but preferably 16 to 18 hours for the juiciest results. Finally, I scatter wedges of fennel and apple in the pan to absorb the wonderful drippings during cooking. They also prevent the glaze from scorching on the bottom of the pan. The point of this dish is to serve the pork loin on a special night with ample leftovers to make zesty, weekday meals like Grilled Roast Pork Cubano Sandwiches, Chinese Pork & Mushroom Wraps, and New Mexican Pork & Green Chile Stew.

Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust

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Servings: Serves four as a main dish, with enough leftovers to make all the remaining dishes.

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Ingredients

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8 cups cold apple cider or juice
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 4-pound boneless pork loin roast (or two 2-pound loins), trimmed only if it has a thick layer of fat
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
1 large fennel bulb or 2 small bulbs, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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Directions

Combine 2 cups of the apple cider or juice with the salt, brown sugar, garlic, and thyme in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring so the salt and sugar dissolve, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining apple cider or juice and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a large container, add the pork, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 18 hours.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, mustard, thyme, and pepper. Drain the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the pork all over with the mustard mixture.

In a medium bowl, toss the fennel and apple with the oil, salt, and a few generous grinds of pepper. Scatter the mixture in the bottom of a large roasting pan (large enough to hold the pork with a couple of inches of space around the perimeter). Put the pork, fat side up, on top of the fennel and apples. Roast the pork until the crust just starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin registers 145 degrees F, 30 to 50 minutes more.

Let rest for 10 minutes and then thinly slice a quarter to a third of the pork. Serve, topped with the fennel, apple, and juices. Allow the remaining pork to cool to room temperature, wrap well with foil, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

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how-tos

How to Bake a Pork Loin

Pork may be known as "the other white meat," but it doesn't usually top the list when we think of lean protein. We can probably thank bacon for that, but not all pork is dripping in fat and packed with sodium. Pork loin, for instance, is actually quite lean, low in fat, carbs and calories. Learning how to bake a pork loin can add a nice punch of variety and flavor to your diet whether you're watching your weight, trying to eat more healthfully or just looking for interesting new options for your usual dinner rotation.

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Garlic-Roasted Pork

Though Puerto Ricans tend toward fatty cuts of pork with the skin on, lean cuts like pork loin are just as delicious with the intense garlic rub in this recipe. Serve warm with Island Red Beans and rice. Leftover slices make a good sandwich.

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