With more and more natural foods retailers on the scene, heritage-breed pork is becoming easier to find. Both Berkshire and Red Wattle yield lovely loins, but ask your local butchers what they recommend--more and more, they're developing relationships with the folks who raise the animals. This pork loin recipe is inspired by the Puerto Rican condiment known as pique, varieties of which are made with pineapple and habanero chiles.
How to Make It
Preheat your oven to 325°.
Combine the first 8 ingredients (through the habanero) in a bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
Dry the pork loin well. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Heat a large, straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add the pork and cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove the pork and keep it warm.
Add the pineapple mixture to the pan and cook down to a jam, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, about 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Grab a potato masher. Do the mash. Break up the pineapple.
Reserve half of the jam. Set aside at room temperature until service.
Spray a small roasting pan with cooking spray.
Place the pork loin in the roasting pan and spread the remaining half of the jam over the pork.
Roast the pork at 325° for 40 minutes, basting and redistributing the jam onto the pork loin periodically. The pork loin is ready for finishing heat when the internal temperature reaches 125°.
Raise the oven temperature to 450° and roast the pork 8 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 135°. The exterior should be nicely caramelized from the fruit and sugar.
Remove from oven, season evenly with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and let the meat rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve with the reserved jam.
Cooking Light Mad Delicious