Cider Braised Pork Loin Recipes

CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on roast to 1/4 inch. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern, 1/16 inch deep, in fat cap. Place roast on large sheet of plastic wrap. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup salt in bowl and rub mixture over entire roast and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic, place on plate, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Unwrap roast and pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper.
• Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear roast until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Turn roast fat side up. Scatter onion and garlic around roast and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups cider, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until fork slips easily in and out of meat and meat registers 190 degrees, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Strain braising liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids and let liquid settle for at least 5 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before roast is done resting, wipe out pot with paper towels. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of clear, separated fat from top of fat separator into now-empty pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season apples with salt and pepper. Space apples evenly in pot, cut side down, and cook until well browned on both cut sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.
• Wipe out pot with paper towels. Return 2 cups defatted braising liquid to now-empty pot and bring to boil over high heat. Whisk in apple butter until incorporated. Whisk cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cider together in bowl and add to pot. Return to boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce and keep warm.
• To carve roast, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean dish towel to grasp bone if necessary). Slice pork and transfer to serving platter with apples. Pour 1 cup sauce over pork and apples. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
• Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
• Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

OVEN-BRAISED COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS WITH APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Gather all ingredients.
• Heat the oven to 300 F (150 C/Gas 2).
• Sprinkle the pork ribs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ribs, in batches if necessary, and sear on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring until onion is translucent and lightly browned. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• Add the ribs back to the pan. In a bowl, combine the cider, vinegar, chicken broth, and tomato paste; blend well. Add the bay leaves and thyme; pour over the ribs. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 3 hours, or until very tender.
• Skim the fat from the juices and remove bay leaves. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. If desired, thicken the juices (see note below).
• Serve the ribs with the vegetables and juices, along with boiled or mashed potatoes. Note: To thicken the juices, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring until smooth. Bring the skimmed juices to a simmer on the stovetop; stir in the flour mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened.

CIDER BRAISED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Add the flour, salt and pepper to a shallow dish and whisk together. Add the tenderloin, turning to coat it completely, shaking off any excess.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and when it is hot add the pork and sear, turning to brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any oil.
• Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the cider, scraping the bottom to remove any browning bits. Add the rosemary, thyme and mustard to the skillet, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Return the pork to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the apple quarters and continue to cook, covered, in the oven for an additional 15 minutes until the apples are slightly soft but still firm and the pork registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer the apples and pork to a plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• While the pork is resting, place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil, if it is very thin then allow it to reduce by 1/3, whisk in the butter to make a glossy sauce. Transfer the sauce to a dish or pitcher.
• To serve: Place the pork onto a cutting board and slice crosswise into 8 slices. Arrange the slices of pork on a serving platter with the apple slices and spoon the sauce over the pork.

SLOW COOKER APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear pork on all sides in the hot oil until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to the slow cooker.
• Reduce stovetop temperature to medium; cook and stir shallots and celery in the skillet until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour shallot mixture over pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add apple cider, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Cover, set slow cooker to Low, and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 6 hours. Turn pork over every 1 to 2 hours. Remove pork roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Pour remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a large saucepan; place over high heat. Discard bay leaf and other solids. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, decrease heat and cook, skimming fat from the top, until reduced to 1/4 of the original volume, about 10 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in cold butter until incorporated. Sprinkle in fresh herbs and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cut pork into 1/4-thick slices and serve with sauce poured over the top.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH SAUTEED APPLES

Steps:

• Combine the salt, pepper, sage and thyme and rub into pork.
• Wrap pork in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or overnight.
• Pat pork dry with paper towels.
• In a large, ovenproof casserole heat oil over moderate-high heat until hot but not smoking and brown the pork.
• Transfer to a plate, pour off all but 2 tblsps fat, and cook onion and garlic over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Return pork to casserole, add cider and bring to boil.
• Braise pork, covered, in a preheated 350F (165C) oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• Transfer to a heated platter, discard string and let stand 10 minutes.
• Spoon off fat from pan juices and puree pan juices with a blender (or immersion blender).
• Season to taste.
• Serve in a sauceboat.
• Arrange sautéed apples around sliced pork.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Generously salt all sides of the pork shoulder chunks. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces until surface is seared and crusty, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pork to a plate. Add onions to oil and reduce heat to medium and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add torn sage leaves; cook until onions soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Pour cider into pot; stir to deglaze bottom. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low.
• Transfer pork shoulder pieces to cider mixture. Cover; simmer gently on low 1 hour. Remove lid and turn pieces over. Cover; simmer on low until meat is fork tender, 1 to 2 more hours. Transfer pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Raise heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer. Whisk in creme fraiche. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of cayenne. Transfer pork back to pot; reduce heat to low. Baste pork with sauce while it heats through and becomes perfectly tender, and the sauce is as thick as you want it, about 15 more minutes.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Rub rack of ribs with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place a 7-quart flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Add rack of ribs; brown, 8 to 10 minutes on each side, and remove. Pour out excess fat from the casserole.
• Deglaze the pan: Add 2 cups apple cider; stir with a wooden spoon until bottom of the casserole is clean. Add chicken stock, cider vinegar, onions, thyme, and parsley. Cut 2 apples in half; add to casserole. Return ribs to casserole. Bring to a simmer, transfer casserole to the oven, and cook for 2 hours.
• Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet. Season pork loin with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. When oil is hot but not smoking, add loin. It should sizzle as soon as it hits the skillet. Sear until golden brown on all sides, 10 to15 minutes.
• Transfer 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the casserole to a shallow bowl or fat separator, and let stand to cool. Add loin to casserole, return to oven, and cook until meat thermometer inserted into loin registers 150 degrees, about 40 more minutes.
• Skim fat from reserved cooking liquid. Strain liquid; combine in medium saucepan with remaining 2 cups cider. Set over medium heat; simmer until reduced by a little more than half and amber in color and with a slightly viscous consistency.
• Place large skillet over medium heat. Peel and core remaining 2 apples, slice into eighths, and arrange in a single layer in hot skillet. Sprinkle with sugar and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until sugar melts, 2 to 3 minutes, and reduce heat. Continue cooking until sugar starts to caramelize, 7 to 8 minutes. Apples should soften and puff, and seared side should start to brown. When the apple slices loosen naturally from pan, turn and cook the other side for 5 to 7 minutes. Add apple-cider sauce to skillet; cook just to heat sauce and dissolve any sugars that have cooked onto pan.
• If using sage leaves, heat about 1/2 inch vegetable oil in heavy skillet over medium heat to just below smoking point. Add sage leaves and fry until crisp. With slotted spoon, transfer to piece of paper towel.
• Slice loin 1/4 inch thick, and cut rack into individual ribs. Serve with apples and sauce, and mashed roasted butternut squash. Garnish with fried sage leaves.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE CIDER REDUCTION

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees F and arrange rack in the upper third.
• Pat pork tenderloins dry with paper towels, brush with oil, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 pieces of pork tenderloin and cook until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Set pork aside on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces.
• Place pork in oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the tenderloin registers 145 to 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place pan over high heat, add cider and vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until mixture is reduced by 2/3, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in maple syrup and remove from heat until pork is cooked.
• When pork is ready, remove to a cutting board to rest about 5 minutes. Warm sauce over medium-high heat, add pork and any accumulated juices and spoon sauce over meat to completely coat. When pork is warm, return pork to cutting board and slice thinly. Serve with pan sauce spooned over.