pork loin roast with pepper jelly glaze

Pork

Pork Loin Roast with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Chef Frank Brigtsen, of Brigtsen's restaurant in New Orleans, makes homemade pepper jelly to glaze thick pork chops for Réveillon. He recommends two ways to simplify for the home cook: go for store-bought jelly and, instead of chops, a pork loin roast.

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
2 ½ tablespoons chef paul prudhomme's meat magic seasoning blend (see tips)
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
⅓ cup finely diced red and/or green bell pepper
½ cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons finely diced carrot
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of ground cumin
⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup pepper jelly (see tips)
1 ½ teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons cold water

Directions

To marinate pork: Combine olive oil, wine, oregano, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Add the pork to the marinade. Refrigerate for least 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.
When ready to continue, preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
To prepare glaze: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt and cumin; cook for 1 minute. Add broth, pepper jelly and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Return the mixture to a boil and add cornstarch mixture; cook, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat.
To prepare pork: Remove the pork from the marinade (discard marinade) and season on all sides with seasoning blend. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, flipping occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the glaze over the pork and continue roasting, spooning 2 tablespoons glaze over the pork every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145°F, 25 to 35 minutes more. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
Slice the pork and serve with the remaining glaze.