Maple Glazed Pork Loin
I tried this after a suggestion from a friend. Simple and incredibly tasty. The only downside is that you immediately begin to crave pancakes as well!
I tried this after a suggestion from a friend. Simple and incredibly tasty. The only downside is that you immediately begin to crave pancakes as well!
- Carbohydrate 27.901922500399 g
- Cholesterol 30.503125 mg
- Fat 11.5079812500002 g
- Fiber 0.00899999976544099 g
- Protein 0.156193750001115 g
- Saturated Fat 7.28792500000004 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (58g)
- Sodium 89.8080000004183 mg
- Sugar 27.8929225006336 g
- Trans Fat 0.80556625 g
- Calories 213 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the roast into a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, vinegar, pancake syrup, cornstarch and brown sugar. Pour into the bag with the roast. Seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the roast into a roasting pan or large Dutch oven, and pour the marinade over it.
- Cover, and roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Remove the lid, and continue roasting until the top is browned and the internal temperature is at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven, and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving. The internal temperature should increase by 10 degrees.
When a thick maple and brown sugar glaze reduces over a lean cut of meat, the sugars caramelize into a deep mahogany crust while the interior stays juicy. Achieving this balance requires careful management of both protein mass and surface area, particularly when scaling the recipe up or down.
Adjusting proportions for a smaller or larger roast involves more than simple arithmetic. While multiplying the brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup linearly will maintain flavor ratios, the starch thickener requires attention. Cornstarch relies on specific liquid volumes to gelatinize properly at 203 degrees Fahrenheit; altering the total marinade quantity without adjusting the tablespoon of cornstarch will yield either a watery sauce or a gummy paste. For a roast half the size, reduce the vinegar and butter by half while keeping the starch at two teaspoons to prevent runniness.
Vessel selection dictates how the marinade behaves during roasting. A Dutch oven traps steam, which encourages tenderization during the initial hour of covered cooking, whereas an open roasting pan encourages rapid evaporation and heavy browning. Uncovering the meat when the internal thermometer reads 130 degrees allows excess moisture to escape before the final target temperature of 150 degrees is reached. Letting the roast rest for ten minutes permits the muscle fibers to relax and retain their juices.
