Cranberry Pork Roast

 Cranberry Pork Roast

Week 48 of 52

Meat/Fish Entree #7

    Week 48's recipe comes to us from the Southern Living - Slow Cooker Cookbook, published in 2002. The copy I have belonged originally to a lady named Beth Kirner.  I only know that, because her name is written on the inside cover.  I recently used my Crock-Pot slow cooker and decided to use it again, after I found this recipe.  I don't use my slow cooker very, often and now I've used it twice in a month.  The recipe calls for a 3lb boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of fat. Cut in half cross-wise, it fit nicely in my crockpot. I had hoped for a little more cranberry flavor to come through, but overall, I liked this recipe. Served with a vegetable and rice or mashed potatoes, you could easily have enough for four servings with just one of the halves. 

    When I made this recipe this past Sunday, I started the recipe too late in the afternoon for it to cook the whole six hrs on low (after you do one hour on high). I had to turn it off early (by about two hours) so I could go to bed. The next day, I cut a few slices and admittedly, re-heated it in the microwave. Was this ideal? No, but it worked just fine.  The pork loin was cooked through and just needed re-heating. It was tender, but I know I would have enjoyed it a little more, if I'd been able to eat it fresh from the slow cooker. This recipe calls for making a gravy-like sauce after removing the pork loin. I put the melted cranberry sauce juice in a bowl and made the gravy in a pan. I plated with rice and cooked & buttered onion, and spooned the cranberry sauce gravy over top. 

    Today I'm enjoying some of the pork loin, which I cut into chunks and mixed with the gravy in a bowl.  It's still pretty tender. Like I said above, I liked this recipe. I only wish it'd had more cranberry flavor. You could remedy that, but adding extra cranberry sauce or even some fresh cranberries.  If you try it, let me know how you like it. 

Ingredients:

1 3lb lean boneless pork loin roast (trimmed of fat)

cooking spray

1 16oz can whole cranberry sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

2 teaspoons corn starch

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Coat trimmed pork loin with cooking spray. Brown all sides of pork loin in a skillet on medium-high heat. When all sides are browned, put both halves in the slow cooker. In a bowl, mix together the cranberry sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Poor cranberry mixture over the pork loin and cook on high for one hour. Turn to low and cook for another 6 hours. Remove roast from cooker and keep warm. Mix the corn starch and water together and stir in the cranberry sauce liquid. Heat in a microwave on high for two minutes or until thick, stirring after one minute. I made the gravy in a pan on the stove. Serve slices of roast with vegetables and rice or potatoes, with the sauce over the slices of roast. 

Cranberry Pork Loin Roast w/Rice and Cooked Onion