Feeds 4
Total cooking and prep time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1KG Pork Loin, sliced into 3/4 inch thick slices
2 granny smith apples, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 sliced red onion
lots of fresh thyme, about 10 twigs
3 tbsp butter - you could use margarine, but its much better with butter
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Add both pork loins, and briefly brown all sides. Remove from pan and leave them on a plate. Add butter to the same frying pan, and once it is melted, add sliced onions. Turn heat down to low, and sautee onions until clear. Add chopped apple, and continue to sautee, for another 5 min. Next, add the pork loins to the pan, as well as the apple cider and fresh thyme. Turn up heat, and cook until liquid comes to a boil. Then turn down the heat, and simmer until apples are soft, usually about 5 more minutes. If there is still lots of liquid, mix cornstarch with some 2 tbsp cold water to make a starch. Add to frying pan, and simmer until sauce thickens. Turn off heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from frying pan, serve pork loins with sauce, apples and onions on top. This plate is best served with rice, though it also goes great with new potatoes, and any kind of veggie.

This is my favorite pork recipe of all time. It is sweet, tangy, and the pork is tender and juicy.

Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 2 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup of dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter

In a small bowl, mix mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and rosemary. Add pork tenderloin to a roasting pan. Smother with sauce, and put in an oven that has been pre-heated to 350F. Meanwhile, add butter to a frying pan and melt on medium heat. Add the rest of the maple syrup and the apples. Sautee until easily pierced by a fork. Turn of heat.

Once the pork loin is finished, usually about 30 minutes, remove from oven. Serve with apples on top, and any side, although this dish goes perfectly with rice.

1 - pork loin is the most versatile of all meats. It goes good with sweet sauces, sour sauces, fruits and vegetables. It is delicious with thyme, rosemary, and a variety of other spices. It can be cooked in many different ways - in the oven, deep fried, pan fried, bbq’ed, roasted, or smoked. And all of these methods produce a different flavor.

2 - Pork loin is very low fat, but high in protein. If you cut off the fat around the edges, there is no visible fat in the cut, so it is great for those that dislike the taste of fat (like myself).

3. Pork loin is cheap. For $10-$15, you can buy enough pork to feed a family of 4.

4. Pork loin is eeeeeasy to cook. And I mean very easy. All you have to do is make sure that it does not get overcooked, because that produces a somewhat dry and tough meat (same as chicken and beef).

5. Kids love it! Why? Because it is so versatile, you can easily find a recipe your kid likes (or your husband, parents, siblings, and any other guests).

Any other reasons why you like pork? Let us and our readers know! In the meantime, check out our pork loin recipes, and start eating some pork loin!

1- Choose fresh pork loin if possible. Fresh meat is always better than frozen, and then you don´t have to worry about defrosting it. If you have to buy a frozen one, be sure to check the ingredients. Often time, frozen ones have salt and other additives added.

2- Look for a pork loin that is not full of fat. Fat on the outside is fine, because you can easily trim it. However, if it looks like there is fat throughout, look for another piece. Pork loin is lean, and it is better to find it without fat.

3- A boneless pork loin is easier to cook, and most pork loin recipes call for boneless pork loin. You can buy one with bone in, and use it in recipes that call for boneless, but I don´t recommend it. If you do cook one with the bone, you may want to keep the bone and use it for a pork loin soup the following day.

4- You will need about 300 g per person eating, and remember it is always better to have too much than too little. Leftovers are always a pleasure, and sliced left-over pork loin makes for great sandwiches!

5- Make sure to select a cut that does not look dried out on the edges. If possible, it should be meat that was prepared that very day.

Follow these five steps, and all you´ll have to do then is pick the one you think looks the best. Other things such as organic/non-organic, local, etc. are all up to you. Generally, local is better, but not in all cases. Select the one you think is best, and if you like it, you know you can continue to buy that brand! There are tons of amazing pork loin recipes, so you´ll have plenty of opportunities to try different pieces of pork loin.

Pork Loin or Pork Tenderloin

I am a huge fan of cooking both, and they both have their benefits.  Here is a quick break-down to help you choose between the two. First of all, you probably want to know the difference.  The pork tenderloin is a long, narrow muscle that is part of the loin.  It is very tender, flavorful, and has hardly any fat.   Usually there is a very thin layer on one side, almost like a skin, that can be remove either before or after cooking.

So which should you choose?

• if you want pork chops, you’ll definitely want to choose pork loin.  Tenderloin is usually no larger than a 2-inch diameter.   They make for great mini medallions, but if you are looking for some nice pork steaks, the tenderloin is not a great option.
• if you are making a nice, big stew, again, you’ll want to go with the pork loin.  Mostly because if its size, and also because you can get in bone-in, which is nice for stews.  The loin cooks well in a stew, the tenderloin not so much, because it is small and will overcook and dry out quickly.
• from a strictly health perspective, the tenderloin is a better choice.  It has slightly less fat in it.
• from a taste perspective, if you are eating both roasted or on the BBQ, the tenderloin and the loin are about equal, but the tenderloin is slightly juicier.
• from a cost perspective, they are pretty even, though the tenderloin is usually slightly more expensive.
• for a quick meal, either could be a good option, but a whole tenderloin will cook much quicker than a pork loin, unless the pork loin is cut into chops.
• both go great with dozen of different flavors, and most recipes, at least in terms of flavors, can be used for either tenderloin or pork loin.

Pork is a great food source, and most people don´t realize that pork loin is the best, healthiest red meat you can eat. In fact, it is one of the best options available, even when compared to chicken, turkey, and fish.

Here´s why:

• Pork loin is very lean. A 300g piece has only about 11g of fat, which is far less than any cut of beef, and less than other cuts of pork. Pork loin is one of the best meat options you can eat, if you are trying to lose wait or trying to maintain your weight.

• Pork loin is high in protein. That same 300g piece of loin will provide you with 87g of protein

• Pork loin is cheaper than it´s counterpart beef tenderloin.

• Pork loin is extremely versatile. Just like most cuts of pork, you can use all kinds of different spices and sauces to change the overall taste. It can also be cooked in many different ways. Cut up for stews, cooked on the barbeque, fried, or roasted. Just take a look at all the different pork loin recipes, and you will realize how many different way s you can prepare it.

• Pork loin can be paired with all kinds of different wine. The meat flavor is subtle, and therefore the wine pairing is usually determined by the sauce and spices used. Both white and red wines can be used with pork loin.

What is the difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin?
Both are muscles that run along the spine, and a part of the pork loin is actually adjacent to the pork tenderloin. The pork tenderloin is closer to the spine, and is a less shorter, less used muscle. It is therefore slightly more tender. Both cuts are very lean, containing very little fat and are high in protein.

Although pork loin is one of the more expensive cuts of pork, it is still a very economical piece of meat, and comes in at much cheaper than a filet mignon, and is often about the same as you would pay for a good quality skinless and boneless chicken breast.

For most people, what it all comes down to is flavor, and there are very few things that can beat out a tender, juicy pork loin recipe with a succulent sauce on top. So stop reading, find a recipe you like, and get cooking!

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil – you can substitute other cooking oil if necessary)
1 lb pork loin (fat removed, and cut into ½ inch cubes)
2 spicy Italian sausages (optional)
1 large purple onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small jalapeno peppers, seeded, rinsed, and minced
1 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
¼ cup honey
¼ cup black coffee
¼ cup bourbon or Irish whiskey
1 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, with juice
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 tbsp flour
Fresh coarsely ground pepper

Toppings
Sour cream (1 dollop per serving)
1 cup grated cheddar

Directions
Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add pork and sausages, and cook until seared on all sides. Remove the pork from the saucepan, and set aside.

Add the onion into the pot that has the juice from the pork, and brown the onions and garlic on low heat. Once onions are clear, add bell peppers and chopped cilantro. If the pot starts to dry up, add a little more oil.

Add brown sugar, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin Worcester sauce and honey. Blend well and cook for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle flour and pepper over the pork that you set aside. Add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Combine well, cover, and simmer for about one hour. The pork should be tender, and flavors should be well blended. The sauce should be slightly thick, and if it is not, you can add 1 tbsp flour mixed until smooth with a small amount of cold water. Let simmer for a few more minutes, and watch as the chili becomes thicker.

Serve chili with sour cream and grated cheese on top, accompanied by some hearty, whole grain or corn bread.

Wine Suggestion
A spicy food like this goes best with, suprisingly, a sweet white.   The best are generally sweet Rieslings and Gewurztraminer (be careful not to buy a dry one, because there are both types available).  It should be served nicely chilled, and you will be amazed at how well the sweetness cuts through and complements the spiciness.

Ingredients (for 4)

1.5 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch thick chops
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup port
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
6 shallots, or 1 sweet onion

Heat olive oil in saucepan on medium heat. Add pork chops, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until each surface is cooked. Remove from frying pan, and let sit in a dish. Mince shalllots, add to saucepan sauté until clear. Add balsamic vinegar, port and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium heat, and simmer until sauce reduces to half its original volume. Add pork chops to saucepan, and cook on medium heat until cooked through. Serve with reduced balsamic port sauce on top.

Enjoy, and remember, it is not polite to lick the leftover sauce from your plate, not matter how good it is!

Wine suggestion:
The sauce for these chops is fairly sweet and rich. A sweet, full bodied shiraz makes a perfect accompaniment. It is strong enough that it will not be overpowered by the sauce, and the spice goes really nicely with the sweetness.

Ingredients (for 6):
2lb pork loin
1 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh rosemary (can use dried if necessary)
1/4 olive oil
salt
1/4 cup butter
3 peeled granny smith
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 300F. Mix mustard, 1/2 cup maple syrup, olive oil, rosemary, and a pinch of salt. Spread half of the sauce all over the pork loin. Place pork loin on a roasting pan, and cook until done.

Meanwhile, peel, core and dice apples. Heat in a saucepan with butter. Sprinkle with thyme, and sauté until golden. Add other half cup of maple syrup, and continue to cook on low heat until the apples are soft and have sucked up all the maple syrup.

Once the pork loin is ready, remove from oven and let sit 5-10 min. Poor the juice from the pork loin into the remaining mustard sauce, and mix well. Slice pork into 2 cm slices. Place slices on plate, and serve with mustard sauce and apples on top.

Wine pairing
This is a mild flavor meat recipe, and should not be combined with an overpowering red. Here are a few options:
- a fruity Merlot
- a robust Pinot Noir (Louis Jadot would be perfect, or one from Oregon State).
- an Australian Shiraz

This dish can also be combined with a strong flavored white wine.
- a herby, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- a slightly oakey Californian Chardonnay

Pork Chops
Pork loin is perfect for pork chop, because it is a tender, juicy, and flavorful cut of meat. Even more importantly, they do not contain any fat. They are also a perfect size for pork chops, all you need to do is select the width, and you are set.

Pork chops can be cooked using any method you choose. They can be cooked in the oven, in a frying pan, or on the grill. On the grill is generally the best option, but it depends on what recipe you are using.

Pork Roast
The main difference between a pork roast and pork chops is that pork chops is a pork loin that has been cut into chops, whereas a pork roast is one large chunk of pork loin. It is usually cooked in the oven, because it needs to be cooked on a low heat for a long period of time. A bbq is another option, though not as common.

Shredded Pork
A pork loin is perfect for shredded pork because there is no fat. To make shredded pork, you need a large piece of pork loin. Once it is cooked, it can be shredded into small pieces, which can be used for a variety of different recipes. In general, these pieces are mixed with some sort of sauce, and served on top of rice or potatoes.

Ground Pork
Ground pork can be made from pretty much an cut of pork; however, because there is very little fat in pork loin, it is a healthy option for ground pork. Pork loin is often lined in fat, so this should be removed before grounding the pork. Once ground, it is usually prepared in a frying pan, in the same way that you would prepare ground beef.