Was looking for something a LITTLE fancy for Easter Dinner...
https://thecozyapron.com/pork-roast/
Recipe sites never just give you the recipe, so here you go!
Ingredients:
3 pound pork loin, trimmed slightly of excess fat
Olive or avocado oil
Few pinches of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 onion, quartered and sliced thinly
3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Apple Brandy Glaze Ingredients:
½ cup unfiltered apple cider or apple juice
½ cup apple brandy* (see note)
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Preparation:
To prepare the apple brandy glaze: in a small sauce pan, combine all of the glaze ingredients, and whisk together, place over medium-high heat and bring to the boil; then, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by about half.
Pour the glaze into a heat-safe bowl or glass jar, place into fridge, and allow to cool for about 45 minutes (it will also thicken a bit more as it cools); once ready to use, pour half of the glaze into a small dish, reserving this for use after the pork is cooked (as not to cross-contaminate), and use the other half for glazing during the cooking process.
To prepare the pork roast: place the pork loin into a large bowl or onto a work surface, and drizzle a little of the oil, about 2 tablespoons, all over it. In a small ramekin, combine 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the ground black pepper, the Herbes de Provence and the granulated onion, and sprinkle all over the pork loin, rubbing it in (this can be done ahead and kept in fridge over night).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 400°.
Toss the onions with a drizzle of oil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, and turn them out onto the baking sheet; next, toss the apples with a touch of oil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, as well, and add them atop of the onions.
Place the pork loin, fat side up, on top of the apples, and brush liberally with some of the glaze you've reserved for use during the cooking process. Insert a thermometer into the center of the loin, and roast until the internal temperature registers 145°, reapplying the glaze periodically. Allow the loin to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Place the loin onto a cutting board, and slice; arrange the apples and the onions on platter, place the sliced pork on top, and pour the glaze that you reserved for after the loin is cooked over top (you can warm it slightly in the microwave for a few seconds if it's too cool.)
Sprinkle thyme leaves over everything, and serve.
* Note - This recipe author says they use Calvados, which is a French apple brandy. But here's the thing...
Apple brandy has a LONG history in the United States, it may, in fact, be the first American distilled liquor.
I went straight to the source and used Apple Jack. It made the dish delightful.
It's definitely worth doing! Plus, as fancy as it looks, it's not THAT hard. Prepping the glaze is an extra step, but not a challenging step.