By Adam Romo The Cracker Box
Monday, September 20, 2021
1 pork loin — I prefer a little fat on the loin to help it stay juicy during roasting.
8-10 cloves of garlic – roasted
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
¼ cup agave
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups apple juice
2 cups chicken stock
2 sweet onions
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
Butter
Salt
Baby spinach
Provolone cheese
French rolls
Roast the garlic in a 350-degree oven until soft and fragrant. You can roast the entire bulb and use any leftover for other dishes. It’s also fine to use store bought roasted and peeled garlic. You can do this in advance.
For the pork:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
In a food processor combine garlic, rosemary, agave, and some salt and pepper. Blend until it’s the consistency of paste.
Place pork in an oven safe pan and lightly score the top with a knife. Coat the loin in the garlic and herb mixture. Pour stock and apple juice around the meat and cover with foil.
Bake for approximately 1 hour or until an internal meat thermometer reaches 145.
While the pork is cooking slice the onions and sauté with butter on medium low heat. Salt lightly while stirring constantly until the onions are soft and lightly browned.
When the pork is done remove from the liquid and set aside to rest.
Make the Au Jus:
Pour remaining liquid into a sauce pan adding a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon each of sugar and corn starch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has slightly thickened and is simmering.
Slice the pork to your preferred thickness, dip into the pan of au jus.
Assemble the sandwich:
Place some spinach and warm onions on the bottom half on the French roll, place the sliced pork on top and then some provolone. Place the remaining au jus in a bowl for dipping.
This recipe is very versatile. You can use the pork by itself for dinner paired with your favorite veggies and a starch, such as roasted or mashed potatoes. Then sauce it as you please!
Adam Romo is the head cook at The Cracker Box.
