"This pork loin is slowly braised with herbs, apples and shallots in cider with a bit of Calvados and crème fraîche."
Slow Roast Pork with Apples
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Prep time 30mins
Cook time 3hrs
Serves or Makes: 6
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds pork loin roast
- 3 shallots
- 1/8 cup Calvados
- 4 apples
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- To Taste Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C).
Step 2
In a large Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork well with salt and pepper. Place in the pan and sear on all sides until deeply golden.
Step 3
Remove the pork to a plate and drain the oil from the pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook the shallots in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the calvados, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan. (Be careful, the alcohol could flare up if the pan is too hot.) Place back on the heat and bring to a simmer. Add the pork back to the pan. Scatter the apples around the pork.
Step 5
Mix together the apple cider and chicken broth and pour over the apples and pork. Scatter the thyme sprigs in the pan (no need to remove the leaves from the branches – they will fall off while cooking and, at the end, you can simple pull out the bare branches.) Bring to a simmer.
Step 6
Cover tightly with the lid and place in the oven. Roast in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours until the pork is very tender.
Step 7
Remove the pork and apples to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Bring the sauce in the pot to a boil over medium heat and cook until the sauce is slightly reduced. Add the vinegar. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir the crème fraîche into the sauce until incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Step 8
Slice the pork and pour the sauce over top. Serve the remaining sauce at the table.