Playdate Special: Sweet Pork Roast

Pork roast makes a frequent appearance at our dining table. Pork seems easier to cook to perfection than chicken, at least in my experience. Fruit and pork is a common pairing. More substantial than chicken meat and less hearty than beef, pork works well with fruits because each retains its own essence and the individual flavors remain notable. Fruits such as apples or apricots, combined with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves can yield many delectable variations.


For the weekly playdate lunch, I opted for apple juice (because my kids had eaten all the fresh apples) and skipped the aforementioned spices (because we're taking a break from anything pumpkin-y). Although I usually use chicken broth to add some depth to the gravy, I wanted to see how the pork would taste with a base of apple juice. Adding the ginger and lemon juice toward the end stage of cooking help to boost the flavors. The result is a roast that tastes "like candy" and the three moms and five kids nearly finished off the two-and-a-half pound roast, leaving just enough for my husband to have a taste at dinner. We will definitely be re-visiting this dish soon this winter.

Sweet Pork Roast

Serve with egg noodles or long grain rice. A side dish of pan-roasted root vegetables is a great accompaniment.

2 to 3 pounds pork loin roast

2 cups apple juice

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ginger powder

salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/2 cup of water

Trim fat off the meat. Rub garlic powder and salt on it. Line the crock pot bottom with a layer of sliced onions. Place roast atop the onions and cover the meat with the remaining onions. Pour in the apple juice. Cover the pot with lid and select high-heat setting, 4 to 6 hours. When cooking is complete, lift roast out of pot and let rest on a cutting board. Add ginger powder to the pot and salt to taste. Add the lemon juice and stir. Mix cornstarch with water and thicken the gravy to desired consistency. Gently slice pork into 1/2 inch thickness and arrange on a plate in single layer. Scoop up the onions to cover the meat. Pour gravy onto the meat. Serve with egg noodles or steamed rice and a side of vegetables.