Pork Loin With Apples Perfect Recipe For Entertaining (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to tender pork loin? ›

If you're not confident in your cooking skills, there is one foolproof way to guarantee your pork ends up on the tender side, even if you cook it too long: Soak it in a brine or a marinade. According to Hazel, these kinds of preparations always produce the most tender outcomes.

At 400 degrees F, a 1-pound pork tenderloin will cook in 8 to 10 minutes after being seared on the stove. Unlike tough, fatty cuts of meat (like the shoulder used for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), leaner cuts like pork tenderloin do not become more tender the longer they cook.

That image of a whole spit-roasted pig comes to mind with the apple stuck in its mouth. There is something special about the sweet taste of apples and the full flavor of pork that work so well together in a dish. Roasting the pork and apples together is the perfect way to marry the two flavors.

Searing the meat first gives it that golden-brown crust before a quick roast in the oven finishes it off.

Try a Marinade or Brine. A marinade or brine can introduce more moisture or lots of flavor into your meat before you cook it. A marinade is a sauce that introduces extra flavor to your pork, depending on the aromatics or herbs you choose to include. A brine pulls more moisture into the meat, which keeps your pork juicy ...

CG: Roasting is the most natural way to cook a pork loin, and it's the easiest and the quickest to get into the oven. I like to sear the outside and then roast it, or you can just roast it as is. The indirect method of cooking preserves pork loin's inherent juiciness and tenderness.

Prepare Your Pork Loin

First, you will want to preheat your oven to 400° F. You will end up lowering the heat later on but it is important to start at a high temp to trap the moisture inside the pork loin.

Some of my favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings to use as a pork chop seasoning are cumin, garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Some others that go well with pork are sage, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, and coriander. Brown sugar and clove are a great way to add in some sweetness.

Although the apples contribute not only flavor but also moisture, it's still important to use pork that has some fat in it.

Why do you put applesauce on pork? ›

Pork has a meaty, slightly sweet, and very savory flavor, but it is also quite oily. Apples have a sweet, relatively dry, slightly acidic flavor, and the dry acidity is a good complement to the oiliness of pork. People have served pork with apples for at least a couple thousand years.

For this pork with apples dish, use an apple that holds its shape rather than one that disintegrates, and one that has a balance of tart and sweet flavors. Try Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp.

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.

Season with salt and pepper: Just before cooking, sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Wait to do this until you're ready to actually put the meat in the pan, otherwise the salt draws moisture out of the meat and you'll need to pat it dry again.

Drizzle the olive oil over the pork rind and the meat, rubbing it in with your fingers for best results (if you need more oil, add more). Season the rind with a generous amount of sea salt (about 1 tablespoon). Transfer pork to a roasting dish and roast for 50 minutes, or until the rind crackles.

Using the gradual, moist heat of a stew pot, pressure cooker, or slow cooker can give you pork so tender that you don't need a knife to eat it. Stewing generally involves cooking the meat for long periods of time at low heat while it's submerged in a mixture of liquid and solid ingredients.

A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.