I’ve always been a little afraid of cooking pork roast. No matter how vigilant I am, it always seems to turn out dry and tasteless. I know it’s my skills that are at fault — when other people cook pork, it turns out juicy, flavorful and delicious. Because it’s one of the least expensive types of roasting meat, I gaze longingly at the pork loin on sale at the grocery store, knowing I’ll just ruin it if I try to cook it.
I didn’t understand the source of the problem until, in a final attempt to succeed with roasted pork loin, I tried this recipe. Wowza! The roast came out perfectly the very first time. The secret was in the beer. I’d never tried a beer marinade on pork before and didn’t realize how well it locks in the juices and adds a deep smoky flavor to the meat.
I like to serve this roast with red cabbage slaw and crusty brown bread, but it would also pair well with green salad, roasted new potatoes or wild rice pilaf. The pork needs a quality beer for the marinade and to serve with the meal; I like the variety I find at microbrew beer clubs. If you’re new to beer clubs, check out one of the sites that posts beer club reviews.
Beer-Marinated Grilled Pork Roast with Apples & Onions
Ingredients
- 2 1-pound pork tenderloins
- 1 bottle of microbrew beer
- 2 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 small sweet onions, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Score the tops of the pork loins lengthwise with 1-inch-deep diagonal slits about 1 inch apart. Place the loins in a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.
- Pour the beer over the top of the loins and layer with onion and apple slices. Sprinkle with oregano, sage, salt and pepper.
- In a small dish, whip together the mustard and olive oil. Drizzle over the tops of the loins.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
- Remove the pork loins from the marinade; reserve for later use.
- Over medium heat, grill the loins for 10 minutes on each side.
- Allow the roasts to rest for about 15 minutes, keeping them covered with aluminum foil to retain the heat and juices. Before serving, use a meat thermometer to ensure the roast is 160°F at the thickest part.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat and add the onions, apples and the remainder of the marinade; toss with sugar and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
- Saute for about 8 minutes, until the apples and onions are cooked through.
- Slice the roasts and spoon the apples and onions over each serving.
Another reason I love this recipe so much is that it makes enough for several meals. Slice thin for pork sandwiches, add it to an omelet, cube and add to salads or stir-fry it with fresh vegetables.
