Pork Loin Recipes

A reduced balsamic and port sauce is a flavor to die for, and the flavor goes amazingly well with pork, once it is reduced and slightly sweetened. This recipe is always a hit, and is extremely easy to make.

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.

This recipe is hands down delicious! The mix of sweetness from the apples and maple, mixed with the tartness of the dijon mustard, give it the perfect balance and is sure to become one of your favorites. Keep in mind the sauce can actually be used for any pork recipe, but is best with Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin.

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 loin is an extremely versatile piece of food. It can be eaten and cooked in a variety of different ways, making the recipe combinations practically endless. Here is a list of the common ways you can prepare pork loin:

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.