Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried prunes
- 1 1/4 cups fresh apple cider
- One 2 1/2-pound boneless pork loin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
- 2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the prunes in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the apple cider, and set aside to soak while you proceed with the recipe.
Season the pork loin with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When it is hot, add the pork loin and cook until
browned on all sides, 8 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and transfer it to a baking sheet or
platter.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, apples, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the soaked prunes (with any remaining juices) and
cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup apple cider and the chicken stock, and
bring to a boil.
Return the pork loin to the pot, add the thyme sprigs, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer
the pot to the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until the pork registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer,
about 30 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pork to a platter. Tent it with aluminum foil to keep
warm.
Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the onion-apple mixture to a boil. Cook until
slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Add the vinegar, remaining 1/2
teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. While stirring, add the butter, little by little, until it is completely incorporated. Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate. Remove from the heat.
To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto a serving platter. Slice the pork into thin slices, and arrange
them over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over the pork slices, and serve immediately.