Looking for a fast and flavorful dinner for those nights that you’re running late, or have an unexpected guest? Look no further than one of my all-time favorites, sheet pan pork, potatoes, and apple medley.
Using many ingredients you probably already have on hand, you can go from start to finish in just over an hour. The pork will be moist and tender, the apple and veggies caramelized, your family and friends wowed, and you can sit down and enjoy dinner together without a big mess to clean!
Sheet Tray Pork Roast with Apples and Potatoes
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
1 - 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon salt
2 large or 3 smaller sweet potatoes
3-4 cups fingerling potatoes
2 onions
1 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If using an aluminum sheet tray, spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them on the bias to get the greatest amount of area for caramelization. Slice the fingerlings in half or quarters, depending on size. Cut onions into dice. Cut apples into cubes. This recipe puts those knife skills to good use! Wait, what, bias cuts, dice, quarters, and cubes? If you’re not chopping all the angles, time for a knife skills refresher! Check out our next Knife Skills class on Wednesday, September 2 at 6pm. This is our most popular class, and with good reason. Better cuts give better results!
3. In a large bowl, melt the butter, then add sage, salt and pepper. Mix well and add the sweet potatoes, fingerlings, onion, and apples, coating them in the butter mixture.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the sheet pan. Knowing this serving is large, I use two pans, ensuring that all the veggies and apples have a chance to touch the pan and get browned. Now add the pork to the bowl and coat it with the rest of the butter mix. Place it on one of the sheet trays.
The loin I used today had a bacon topping on it, as you can see from the photo. But I have made this many times with a plain loin with equally amazing results. Now, I know you’re thinking it’s a lot of veggies. And it is, but this roasted assortment is fantastic and reheats well in the toaster oven if you have leftovers. So if you must, you can cut that portion of ingredients in half, but, *sighs* the beautiful veggies.
5. Roast the food for 30-35 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink and the potatoes are fork tender. Using your thermometer, 145 degrees is rare, and 160 degrees is medium. I cooked mine for 35 minutes to get medium.
6. While the food is in the oven, prepare the maple glaze. Heat the maple syrup in a sauce pan to just boiling, using medium heat. Immediately reduce heat to low and continue to cook 10 minutes or so until the sauce is reduced in volume and is thicker, so from 1 cup to about 3/4 cup.
7. Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
8. Once the pork is cooked, remove, let rest, and slice into portions. Nestle in a bed of veggies and drizzle with maple syrup. Top with toasted pecans. (My guest had nut allergies so we skipped this part, but when you can, it adds a nice crunchy element).
I famously keep a stash of fresh cranberries in my freezer all year long, and this was a good time to bust out a bag and make my famous cranberry relish.
Filling out the menu, I uncorked a bottle of Pinot Noir, which is a fantastic accompaniment to pork. Not overpowering, it allows the flavor of the pork to shine. We presently carry three Pinot Noirs at The Chopping Block, and don’t ask me how I know, but they all go well with this dish. Have fun!
Thinking of pushing your culinary boundaries? We’ve got seasonal changes to some menus and a new Chef's Tasting Table coming your way! Everything from Grillin' in the Caribbean, to Make-Ahead Meals: Hearty Salad and Grain Bowls, Chef Dionna serving Soul Food, and Chef Lucio’s Peruvian Grilling, we have tasty things in store for you in September.
