Cocoa Cherry Pork
Cocoa Cherry Pork
This tenderly delicious pork dish would be a great centrepiece at your next gathering. It’s rubbed with cocoa and spices to create a mild bitterness that’s perfectly complemented by the tangy cherry sauce. If you can’t find cherry preserves, experiment with any type of preserves that you like. (blackberry or apricot would be good)
A gentle sear in a pan is all it takes to create a pleasantly smokey flavour (almost like an open fire char) before slow-roasting to perfection in the oven. If you have time, let the rubbed pork loin sit overnight in the fridge for maximum flavour.
Ready in: 40 minutes
Serves: 6
Complexity: very-easy
kcal: 240
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Ingredients
For the Pork:-
1 pork loin roast
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp chilli powder
½ tsp dried chipotle
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp salt
Rice bran oil, for searing
For the Sauce:-
½ cup cherry preserves
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
½ tsp SIDS CRAZY LEMON
Juice of 1 orange
1 sprig chopped fresh thyme
Zest of 1 orange
Directions
For the Pork:-
To make the rub, combine cocoa powder, chiLli powder, dried chipotle, and ground cumin in a small bowl. Set aside while you season the pork with salt and pepper. Rub the pork with a generous amount of the cocoa chilli rub, then tie it in about 6-8 sections with butcher’s twine.
At this point, if you have time, place the rubbed pork loin on a sheet tray with a wire rack overnight or for 6-12 hours.
Heat the oven to 95°C.
Get a large pan or a cast-iron frypan hot on a stovetop over medium-high heat. Add enough oil for searing the pork. Lightly sear the pork on all sides and be careful not to let it burn. The cocoa spice rub will turn dark immediately, so do a very quick sear, just enough to get a crust on the pork.
Transfer pork to a baking dish and slow roast in the oven for about 2-3 hours until an instant-read thermometer reads 65°C.
For the Sauce:-
Combine the cherry preserves, sherry vinegar, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until all ingredients are combined. Add chopped thyme and stir. Simmer over low heat until it has a thicker consistency. Stir in orange zest then remove the sauce from the stove but keep warm.
When the pork hits 65°C, take it out of the oven to rest for 15-20 minutes. Remove the string and cut the pork loin into serving slices. Spoon the sauce on top and serve with your choice of sides.