Cherry Chipotle Pork Roast

A  new take on a classic pork roast.

Pork roasts are one of those nostalgic Sunday dinner recipes, up there with beef stew, pot roast, meat loaf, or any other of those aromatic, slow-cooking, comfort food style dinners.

But like most recipes on this blog, this recipe strays a bit from tradition to chase a more bold combination of flavors. And for this flavor profile, I garnered inspiration from an old chili recipe on the blog.

It at all starts with seasoning. The pork roast is rubbed down in a blend of brown sugar, pepper, salt, garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, and dashes of clove and cinnamon. But the real star of the show – the pièce de résistance – is the glaze. It uses the spicy/smoky/sweet & tangy combination of chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, sweet black cherries, brown sugar, a bit of honey, and apple cider vinegar (along with an additional array of seasonings) to create a mouthwatering sauce experience. Between the flavorful glaze and slow-roasted pork, you’ve got a recipe that will fill not just your belly, but also your home with a wonderful aroma for that classic Sunday dinner experience.

Recipe Notes: The glaze ended up being so goooooooddd, that I ended up making more as a side sauce to dip the pork roast in. Just follow the glaze instructions again using your leftover ingredients to get a second batch.

Also, the bed of vegetables are optional, but recommended. I opted for quartered potatoes and Brussel Sprouts, but you could also mix in carrots, peppers, or anything else. Just follow the same instructions below for the bed of veggies below when cooking.

Time You Need

  • Prep: ~20-30 minutes
  • Cooking: ~1 hour 20 minutes

What You Need

  • Pork Loin + Rub
  • ~2.5 pounds of boneless pork loin roast
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp clove
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp flour
  • Olive oil
  • Glaze:
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 diced chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce)
  • 3 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 cup of sweet black cherries
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Veggies Or Potatoes:
  • *Optional
  • Diced potatoes
  • Brussel sprouts, quartered

What You Do

  • Start by making the glaze. Add all ingredients to a food processer and blend until it forms a smooth sauce. Then pour into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk together and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set to the side, saving about 2 tbsp for vegetables (if desired).
  • Toss some olive oil in a cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Mix together the seasonings for the rub. Pat dry the pork loin with a paper towel, and then rub the loin roast in a little olive oil. Take the rub mix and spread generously over the pork.
  • Sear the pork in the cast iron skillet until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.
  • Transfer the pork to a plate and remove cast iron skillet from heat.
  • Brush the pork with the remaining glaze (saving 2 tbsp for vegetables). Coat completely.
  • Transfer back to cast iron skillet and roast in the oven, fat side of the pork up, for 25 minutes.
  • While pork is cooking, take diced vegetables and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with remaining glaze and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add in any desired seasonings to taste (garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper).
  • Remove pork from the oven and set on a clean plate.
  • Add vegetables to the skillet, forming a single layer on the pan, then add pork, fat side up. Use a baster to glaze the pork with any drippings.
  • Take a piece of foil to cover the top of the pork, forming a little tent.
  • Return skillet to oven and cook for another 40 minutes. Stir vegetables at least once halfway through.
  • Cook until the pork center is no longer pink, or internal temps reach 145+ degrees.
  • Remove from oven when done, and let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Slice pork and serve.
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