Pork Loin With Apples and Prunes

Pork Loin With Apples and Prunes

Impressive and Delicious Fall Recipe on GMA Oct 5 From the Kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Servings: 4-6 Cook Time: 30-60 min

This recipe was on TV and although I did not have a pork roast I substituted with pork chops and it was just as delicious. DO NOT get turned off by the 'prunes' --remember they really are dried plums and who doesn't like a plum!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried prunes(OR DRIED PLUMS :)
1 1/4 cups fresh apple cider (or juice or chicken broth)
One 2 1/2-pound boneless pork loin (OK here is where I cheated with pork chops!)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored,cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges OR GRANNYSMITH
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces


Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the prunes in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the apple cider ( I used chicken broth), and set aside to soak while you proceed with the recipe. Sorry about the blurry picture!


Season the pork loin with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When it is hot, add the pork loin and cook until browned on all sides, 8 minutes. ( This was the perfect use of stainless steel pan for searing and sealing the juices in and then you will deglaze the pan which will release all the sticky bits --remember also if the pork chop doesn't want to lift to turn it is not done searing yet!)

Remove the pork from the pan and transfer it to a baking sheet or platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, apples, and garlic to the Dutch oven.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 3 minutes.

Add the soaked prunes (with any remaining juices) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

Add the remaining 1 cup apple cider and the chicken stock, and bring to a boil.

Return the pork loin to the pot, add the thyme sprigs, and bring to a simmer.

Cover, and transfer the pot to the oven.

Cook, undisturbed, until the pork registers
145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. or about 20 min for pork chops (REMEMBER THE HANDLE IS HOT!)

Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pork to a platter. Tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the onion-apple mixture to a boil. Cook until
slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Add the vinegar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine.While stirring, add the butter, little by little, until it is completely incorporated.

Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate. Remove from the heat.
To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto a serving platter. Slice the pork into thin slices, and arrange
them over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over the pork slices, and serve immediately.