Pork Roast with Apples

Pork and apples go hand in hand, and there’s no tastier way to serve them than in this Roast Pork with Apples. There are veggies, too, making this a full meal all tucked into one roasting dish. When you’re ready for a homey, scratch-made roast dinner that’s full of flavor, check out this roasted pork recipe – I just know you’ll love it!

This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.

I love roasted meats. There’s something so homestyle about them, and this roasted pork recipe features all the sides roasted together, so it’s an easy recipe to make. 

The key to a good roast is tempering the roast. What does tempering a roast me? This is when you let the roast come to room temperature before popping it into the oven. This ensures a more even cook. Oh, and cook it low and slow. There’s a huge difference in flavor and juiciness between roasts cooked low and those cooked high. Trust me, as a professional chef I know all about cooking low and slow and this is the way to go.

In this Roasted Pork with Apples recipe, you’re going to start roasting the pork and the veggies at the same time. Then, you’ll remove the vegetables and add the apples. This way, the apples are perfectly tender, and the veggies are cooked just right.

Hungry?

Ingredients

• Bone-in pork roast – I like using a bone-in center-cut pork roast. These are also sometimes called rack roasts or rib roasts. I am looking for a roast of about 5 pounds. That gives me about 8 bones or chops, and that’s enough for 2 meals in my house.
• Salt and pepper – I cook with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cooking oil – Canola, vegetable or even olive oil is fine.
• Potatoes – Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges or chunks.
• Carrots – Peel and cut the carrots into 2-inch chunks.
• Shallots – Peeled and cut in half or in quarters if they’re larger.
• Fresh garlic – Always cook with fresh garlic; the difference in flavor is remarkable!
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Chicken broth 
• Apple juice
• Apples – Use firm and not too sweet apples like Gala. Peel them and cut them into wedges.
• Apple cider vinegar
• Whole grain mustard – I prefer Dijon whole grain, but any grainy mustard is fine as long as it’s not too spicy.
• Butter – I cook with salted butter.

How to Make Roasted Pork with Apples

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.
2. Season the roast with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, brown the roast on all sides. About 2-3 minutes per side.
3. While the meat is browning, prepare the veggies. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, peel and cut the carrots into 2-inch lengths, and peel the shallots and garlic cloves.
4. Toss the vegetables with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Lay the vegetables and thyme sprigs in the bottom of the baking dish and set the roast in the middle of the vegetables. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of apple juice to the bottom of the pan.
6. Roast the pork at 325-F for about 45 minutes or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 101-105-F. Remove the vegetables from the bottom of the pan and transfer them to a baking sheet.
7. Add the cut apples to the bottom of the baking dish and arrange them around the pork. Continue baking until the pork reaches 145-F, then remove it to a cutting board to rest. Scoop the apples out of the roasting pan and set them in a bowl to keep warm.
8. When the roast is out of the oven, turn the broiler to high and broil the vegetables for 5-6 minutes or until they’re browned. Tuck the shallots down, or they’ll burn when broiling.
9. Make the gravy by mixing the flour with the remaining 1 cup chicken broth then add this to the juices at the bottom of the baking dish.
10. Turn the heat to low and mix until the gravy is simmering and thickened. Add the apple cider vinegar and grainy mustard, then adjust the seasoning. Simmer for 2-3 minutes then transfer it to a gravy boat.
11. Slice the roast, cutting evenly between the bones. Transfer any juices to the gravy. Serve along with the apples, roasted vegetables and gravy.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• There are 3 steps to perfectly juicy and tender meat. 1. Temper the meat first so that it comes to room temperature before cooking. 2. Cooking the meat low and slow. I’m not a fan of blasting the temperature high and then turning off the oven or other cooking hacks. 3. Let the meat rest for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting. 
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the pork is perfectly cooked without being overdone. Pull the pork out of the oven at 145-F and it’ll still have a blush of pink and still be juicy and delicious.
• If your vegetables are still too hard after you take them out of the oven, pop them into another oven-safe dish and let them cook in the oven as the roast finishes cooking.

REcommended

Make It A Meal

Pork Roast with Apples is a full meal. You’ve got your veggies and carbs roasted along with the pork. All you need is dessert! Go with the apple theme and make Nanna’s favorite apple cake or even Brown Butter Apple Blondies.

Storage

Leftover pork roast with apples can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.