Description
Roasting an orange cranberry pork loin brings tender, juicy flavors right to your dinner table with minimal effort. Bright citrus notes and tart cranberries create a delicious glazed main course your family will devour in moments.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 pounds pork loin roast
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup orange juice
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm your oven precisely to 350°F, creating the perfect roasting environment for your pork loin.
- Combine 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1 cup orange juice, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary in a mixing bowl to craft a vibrant marinade.
- Transfer your 3-4 pound pork loin into a roasting pan, positioning it centrally for even heat distribution.
- Generously cascade the cranberry-orange mixture across the entire surface of your pork loin, ensuring complete coverage.
- Shield the roasting pan completely with aluminum foil, trapping moisture and flavor during initial cooking.
- Roast the covered pork for exactly 1 hour at 350°F, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply into the meat.
- Remove the foil after 1 hour, exposing the pork to direct heat for enhanced caramelization.
- Continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes until your meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of precisely 145°F.
- Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes, enabling juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- Slice the pork loin and drizzle the aromatic pan sauce directly over each serving for maximum flavor impact.
Notes
- Let the pork loin come to room temperature before roasting to ensure even cooking and a perfectly tender result.
- For a richer flavor, toast your rosemary briefly in a dry pan before adding it to the marinade, which releases more of its aromatic oils.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, as overcooking can make the pork dry and tough.
- For a low-carb version, replace brown sugar with a sugar-free sweetener and reduce the cranberries to cut down on natural sugars.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg