Apple Maple Dijon Pork Roast

Apple Maple Dijon Pork Roast is a beautiful main course for family and holiday dinners infused with apples, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard flavors. This pork loin is oven roasted to tender, juicy perfection on the bed of vegetables. A recipe for a fantastic pan-drippings gravy is also included.

Pork Roast Main Course

Need a new main course recipe for the upcoming holidays? This Apple Maple Dijon Pork Roast will work perfectly as a holiday main course or your family weekend dinner. Apples and maple syrup work in tandem to create those cozy fall flavors you’re craving, while the Dijon balances those sweet notes with a delightful tangy kick.

So, where do the apples come in? The pork loin is actually baked atop a pile of sweet apples, so their natural flavor is infused into the meat as it cooks. You will also get a nice hint of apple flavor if you make the pan drippings gravy! So, quite literally from top to bottom, this pork loin roast is full of flavor!

When you use the pan drippings here, you’re infusing even more of that apple, vegetable, and wet rub flavors into the gravy to create the best compliment to the pork roast. After all, you’ll end up having all of those pan drippings no matter what. Why toss them out when they can be used to make the BEST gravy you’ve ever had?

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Boneless Pork Loin – A cut that’s anywhere between 3-4 lbs. is preferred. You can adjust the cooking time accordingly if the cut is bigger or smaller. You’ll also want one that has some marbling, is pinkish red in color, and has no dark spots on the fat.
• Sweet Apples – Gala, Honeycrisp, or Fuji apples are all great. I don’t recommend using tart Granny Smith apples.
• Yellow Onion
• Celery – make sure to give your celery a rinse before using.

Wet Rub:

• Dijon Mustard – Do NOT substitute this with plain yellow mustard.
• Maple Syrup – For the best flavor, try to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
• Dried Minced Garlic
• Dried Minced Onion
• Salt – Coarse kosher or sea salt.
• Black Pepper – Freshly ground black pepper will yield the best flavor.

Pan Drippings Gravy:

• Pan Drippings – You’ll need to mix in a little chicken stock as well to create more liquid.
• Unsalted Butter
• All Purpose Flour – substitute with gluten free all purpose flour in needed!
• Salt
• Black Pepper

How Much Meat to Estimate Per Person:

It’s always important to keep in mind that pork loin is a thick, wide cut of meat. A full sized pork loin can weigh up to 10 lbs. In this recipe, I use pork loins that are 3-4 lbs., which is typically what you’ll find at your local grocery store. Need to feed a large crowd? Try asking the butcher to cut you a larger sized pork loin.

The best way to estimate how much meat you’ll need is to average it out at about 1/2 lb. per person. For example, a 4 lb. pork loin will feed about 8 people. This is also dependent on the sides you’re serving. If you plate your pork roast with a hearty side alongside some vegetables, you should have a pretty filling serving size with just 1/2 lb.

How To Make This Dish:

Prepare the meat and veggies.

Start off by preheating your oven to 425°F and greasing a roasting pan with cooking oil.

Core and chop apples, onion, and celery and create a bed of fruits and veggies at the bottom of the roasting pan. Score the fat cap on the pork so the wet rub can really sink into the meat. To do this, just use a knife to make several slices through the fat cap to create a diamond pattern.

Rub the pork.

Whisk together the ingredients for the wet rub. Rub the mixture generously all over the pork loin.

Roast the pork.

Place the rubbed pork loin on top of the bed of veggies and apples. Insert a digital thermometer into the side of the pork towards the center.

Roast the pork loin for 15 minutes at 425°F. Then, lower the temperature to 350°F and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. It should take anywhere from 60-80 minutes to cook completely.

Let it rest! Once the temperature reaches 145°F, remove the pork loin from both the oven and roasting pan immediately. Place it into a serving dish and tent it with a sheet of foil. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Make the gravy. Strain the pan drippings and prepare the ingredients for the gravy. Melt butter in the skillet and add flour. Whisk until blended and smooth and slowly start pouring in the stock. Keep whisking slowly and the gravy thickens and season it as needed.

When is pork done cooking?

Pork loin is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 145°F. You don’t want to let it keep cooking past that, otherwise you’ll end up with dry and possibly burned meat.

It’s always best to tell when the meat is done by the temperature and not the cooking time.

Serving Suggestions:

I enjoy plating my Apple Maple Dijon Pork Roast with veggies and heartier sides!

Some of my favorite veggie side dishes to accompany this entrée include Honey Roasted Carrots, Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, and Green Bean Casserole.

As for heartier and more filling side dishes, I always end up using tried and true recipes like Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, or Stuffing.

Originally published on October 31, 2014.