Roasted Pork Loin with Root Veggies

As I become more and more concerned about the quality of the food I eat and where it comes from, I find I am eating less pork and beef and more wild caught seafood and organic vegetables. Organic pork is difficult to find unless you get it from a local producer, and by local, I mean within a 200 mile radius of L.A./Orange County, and I honestly don’t love grass-fed beef. I am so glad to see the stores carrying more grass-fed options. Clearly that means that there is a demand for it. That people are asking for it and the stores are sourcing it for us. It’s easier with beef, but I’m still having trouble finding pork that I am ok with.

That said, last week I found a brand of pork at the market that’s (supposedly) humanely and ethically raised, so I bought it, thinking “now’s my chance”. I do want to do further fact-checking into this company to find out exactly how “natural”, “humanely and ethically raised” their products really are.

Since it was sort of an impulse purchase, I hadn’t thought a recipe through yet, so I improvised when I got home, thinking of what I had on hand and how I wanted the final product to taste. I love pork with fruit or something sweet. Things like maple syrup, apricots, prunes, cherries, even sweet veggies like carrots and squashes go particularly well with pork.  I had some of these things at home and this is what I came up with. It’s perfect for cold evenings when you want comfort food. We loved it.

Roasted Pork Loin with Root Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 375F.

What you’ll need:
Pork Loin about 3-4 lbs.

Quantities of the following are approximate. Use more or less of an item as you see fit.

Make a paste out of the following:
2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dry mustard
2-3 Tbsp. maple syrup

Rub this paste all over the pork.

Grab a Dutch oven or large covered casserole type dish that you can both use on the stovetop as well as place inside the oven. Turn on the heat to medium high and warm up on your stove top for about a minute. Now add some fat, in the form of bacon fat, butter, or olive oil. Sear both sides of the pork loin until nicely browned all over.

Remove the pork but leave the pot on the heat and add 1 large sliced onion, getting it nice and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the following veggies, all chopped into medium-sized chunks, to the onion:
1 sweet potato
1-2 apples depending on size
3 carrots

Give it all a good stir for about a minute and then make a little well for the pork in the center. Return the pork back into the pot nestling it in between the veggies and cover. Place pot in preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes. Starting at the 30 min mark, remove lid and insert a meat thermometer. Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145-150F. Do not overcook! A little hint of pink is ok. We want it to be juicy. Keep cooking uncovered for the next 10 minutes or so, or however long you need until the meat reaches the appropriate temperature. The veggies are going to be pretty soft, almost mashable.

Recent find: serve with Trader Joe’s apple cider jam, if they still have it. Last time I checked they were out. If it’s a seasonal thing and they are permanently out, not to worry, the dish has plenty of flavor so you don’t need it, but it’s pretty awesome with a little bit of this on the side.

Wine recommendation: your favorite red. Pinot Noir is mine. It’s lighter and therefore goes well with the fruity nature of the vegetables.