Roast Pork with Garlic and Apples

  • Water
  • 2 apples, cut into eighths
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 8 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • 8 fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoon dried
  • 6 pounds boneless, center-cut pork loin
  • 4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, or 4 teaspoons dried
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. For brine, microwave 4 cups water in a microwave proof bowl on High 5 minutes, until steaming. Stir in apple, the kosher salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns and sage until sugar has almost dissolved. Add 4 cups cold water. Cool to room temperature.

2. Pour brine into a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic brining bag. Add pork. Push out excess air from bag and seal. Marinate pork in the refrigerator 24 hours, turning the bag several times.

3. Spread the 4 apples in an 11x7-inch baking dish; set aside. Combine garlic, sage, oil, vinegar, pepper and salt in a cup; set aside.

4. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain pork in colander; discard brine and solids. Rinse pork under cold running water. Pat dry. Rub pork with garlic mixture and place on top of apples in baking dish. Cover with foil.

5. Bake pork and apples until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in center of pork registers 160 degrees F, about 2 hours. Transfer pork to a serving platter and cover loosely with foil. Remove apples from baking dish, coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl; skim fat from drippings in pan. Stir drippings into apples. Serve pork with apples.

Courtesy of Maria Dittrich!