What To Make For Dinner: Pork Roast with Cabernet Sauvignon

This recipe for pork loin roast, slow-cooked and tender on the tongue, has been adapted from the Seriously Delicious Ribs found on food52. The initial dry rub, rich and spicy with paprika, garlic, and chipotle powder, pairs well with the wine in the following braising liquid. Cabernet Sauvignon, an assertive red wine, is often strongly oaked, which rounds out the wine’s body and imparts aromas like brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. These ingredients are all found in the dry rub, which ultimately give this pork roast a deeply harmonious flavor.

Slow cooking ensures that the pork roast, which is naturally rather lean, will stay moist and juicy at the table. This dish is perfect for an early Sunday evening dinner, with potatoes, a green salad, and the rest of that bottle of Cabernet.

Pork Roast with Cabernet Sauvignon

For the dry rub:
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ teaspoon all spice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
3 pound pork loin roast

For the braising liquid:
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Mix together all of the dry rub ingredients. Rub them all over the pork loin, including the bottom and sides of the roast. Set the pork loin on a rack over a roasting pan, cover, and let the meat marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Put your oven rack to the center of the oven, and set the heat to 450°F. Meanwhile, place all the braising liquid ingredients in a small pot, and cook over medium heat until just hot. You could also put them into a microwave-safe bowl, and cook on high for 1 minute.

Pour the braising liquid over the pork roast. Roast the meat in the 450°F oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250°F. Baste the meat occasionally with the liquid at the bottom of the roasting pan. Depending on its shape, the meat should need anywhere from 50 to 80 minutes to cook.

Remove the pork from the oven, and let rest, covered with tin foil, for 15 minutes. This lets the juices distribute throughout the meat, and will result in a moister, juicer roast. While the pork rests, pour the liquid from the bottom of the pan back into the small pot on the stove, and bring to a boil. Let the liquid reduce at a vigorous simmer for 10 minutes or so, until it becomes syrupy. Brush the glaze on top of the pork roast, slice the meat, and serve everything together at the table.