Name: Apple Cider Roasted Pork
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 bone-in pork loin roast (3 to 4 pounds) or boneless pork loin; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard; 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage); 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped; 3 firm apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn), cored and cut into wedges; 1 large onion, cut into wedges; 1½ cups apple cider (the unfiltered kind from an orchard, not juice); 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Apple and pork is one of those pairings that exists because it's perfect. The cider and mustard create a glaze that caramelizes into something sticky and deeply savory-sweet. The apples roast alongside and become silky, almost sauce-like. This is fall on a platter.

Ingredients

1 bone-in pork loin roast (3 to 4 pounds) or boneless pork loin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
3 firm apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn), cored and cut into wedges
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1½ cups apple cider (the unfiltered kind from an orchard, not juice)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Method

Remove the pork from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
Pat the pork very dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Rub with olive oil, then spread the mustard over the top and sides. Press the sage and rosemary into the mustard.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
In the same pan, add the butter. Toss the apple wedges and onion wedges in the butter until just starting to color, about 3 minutes.
Arrange the apples and onions to the sides of the pan. Place the pork in the center. Pour the cider around (not over) the pork.
Drizzle the maple syrup over the apples.
Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 63°C (145°F). The apples and onions should be golden and soft.
Rest the pork on a cutting board, loosely tented with foil, for 15 minutes.
Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the apple cider vinegar and scrape up any browned bits. Let the sauce reduce for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Slice the pork and serve with the roasted apples, onions, and the pan sauce spooned over everything.
*Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Sliced leftover pork makes excellent sandwiches with the reheated apples and a sharp cheese.
*Seasonal note:** Visit an orchard for the cider if you can. Fresh-pressed, unfiltered cider has a complexity — tart, tannic, slightly wild — that commercial apple juice can't match. It's the difference between the recipe being good and being memorable.