Maple-Pepper Roasted Pork Loin
Submitted by pitbul
Maple-pepper roasted pork loin marinates overnight in lemon, maple syrup, shallots, garlic, thyme, and black pepper, then roasts with a sweet-peppery glaze. A Canadian-inspired roast for a crowd.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsMaple-pepper roasted pork loin is pure Canadian pork cookery, with the sweet-sharp contrast that makes roast pork sing. The marinade does triple duty: lemon juice breaks down the muscle fibers, maple syrup starts the caramelization that will finish in the oven, and black pepper plus garlic, shallots, bay, and thyme build a full aromatic profile you can taste from the outer crust all the way through the slice.
The overnight marinade is non-negotiable. Twelve hours minimum lets the acid and sugar actually penetrate the interior. Skip it and only the surface tastes seasoned.
The two-stage roast is classic. Hot first, 450°F (230°C), to sear the exterior and lock in juices. Drop to 350°F (175°C) and baste with the reserved glaze every 10 minutes. Those basting intervals build a lacquered, glossy crust that turns each slice into an Instagram moment.
Modern pork can be safely pulled at 145°F (63°C) and rested to 150°F (66°C), but this recipe targets 155 to 160°F (68 to 71°C) for a traditional fully-cooked finish with a slight pink center. Carryover cooking during the 15 to 20 minute rest brings the temperature up another 10 degrees.
Don’t skip that rest. Slice too early and all the juice ends up on the cutting board.
Pro Tips
- Use a plastic cooking bag for the marinade. It lets you use less liquid while still coating the whole roast evenly, and the cleanup is painless.
- Make a double batch of glaze. The recipe is stingy on basting volume; extra glaze lets you baste generously without running out halfway through.
- Invest in an instant-read thermometer. Eyeballing pork doneness is the fastest path to a dry, sad roast.
- Slice across the grain in thin pieces. Maple-pepper pork is good thick-cut, but thin slices let the glaze shine through on every bite.
Variations
- Swap maple syrup for dark honey or sorghum for different sweetener profiles.
- Add a tablespoon of bourbon or apple brandy to the glaze for a grown-up, cocktail-hour edge.
- Serve over braised cabbage or a simple apple chutney for classic pork pairings.
Ingredients
Directions
Put pork in plastic cooking bag.
Combine juice, oil, syrup, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, lemon zest and pepper.
Add to meat in bag. Seal bag, marinate refrigerated overnight or up to 24 hours.
Prepare glaze and refrigerate.
Bring to room temperature when ready to use.
To roast pork: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Remove meat from marinade.
Discard marinade.
Place meat on drain rack over sheet pan.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place in preheated oven and cook 10 minutes.
Baste with glaze and cook additional 5 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃).
Cook 10 minutes, basting once.
Continue cooking, basting every 10 minutes, until meat reaches internal temperature of 155 degrees when tested with instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes.
At this point, pork should be cooked to medium well and will have a hint of pink.
If well-done meat is desired, roast can be cooked additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove meat from oven and let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
This will bring the meat’s internal temperature up about 10 degrees.
Check roast with meat thermometer at this point.
If temperature has not reached 160 degrees, return meat to oven until it reaches that temperature.
Slice into 32 equal slices to make 16 servings.
Place sliced meat on serving tray.
Serve with corn potatoes and chutney.
Comments
