Cherry-Glazed Roast Pork

Christmas. At Cascade Heights. The full family: Curtis, Darnell and family, Andre, Miss Ernestine, Derek, Isaiah, Zoe, Marcus, Jasmine. Sixteen people again. The table groaned. The food was right. Every dish, every recipe, every tradition — Southern and Jamaican and mine and Jasmine's. The kitchen held four generations of women (Ernestine's recipes in Miss Ernestine's hands, Brenda's in mine, mine in Jasmine's, Claudette's beside them all) and the food was a conversation across time and the conversation said: we are here. All of us. Together. At the table you built.

Curtis raised his glass. He said, "To Mama." We said it back. Then he said something else. He said, "And to my son Derek." He said "my son." The room went quiet. Curtis Jackson, who has spoken fewer words than most people think, who communicates in nods and monosyllables and the occasional devastating observation, called Derek Washington "my son" at the Christmas table, in front of the whole family. Derek's face — I will never forget Derek's face. The man who is always composed, always steady, always the calm in every room — his face broke open. Just for a moment. The composure cracked and underneath was a boy who lost his own father at twenty-seven and has been looking for the nod ever since. And Curtis gave it to him. Not just the nod. The name. My son. At Mama's table.

Miss Ernestine said, "Well, it's about time." Because Miss Ernestine always has the last word. Derek looked at me across the table and his eyes were full and my eyes were full and Curtis went back to eating his ham and the room resumed breathing and Christmas continued and everything was the same and nothing was the same because Curtis Jackson named a man at his table and the naming was the blessing and the blessing was enough.

Curtis going back to his ham after saying “my son” — that image will live in me forever, because that’s who he is: the blessing given, and then the meal resumed, as if the sacred and the ordinary were always the same thing. The centerpiece on that table was this Cherry-Glazed Roast Pork, which I’ve made every Christmas since Brenda showed me how the glaze should catch the light when you pull it from the oven — deep red, almost jeweled, the kind of dish that makes sixteen people go quiet for just a moment before the room fills back up with noise. That’s the dish. That’s the table.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 10–12

Ingredients

1 bone-in pork loin roast (5–6 lbs)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cherry Glaze:
1 cup cherry preserves
1/4 cup red wine (or cranberry juice)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

Bring to room temperature. Remove the pork roast from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking to ensure even roasting.
Preheat and prepare. Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and place fat-side up in a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
Season the pork. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and thyme. Rub olive oil all over the roast, then press the spice mixture firmly into all sides.
Initial roast. Roast uncovered for 1 hour 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130°F.
Make the cherry glaze. While the pork roasts, combine cherry preserves, red wine, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, allspice, cloves, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Reserve half the glaze for serving.
Glaze and finish roasting. Brush the roast generously with half the cherry glaze. Return to oven and continue roasting for 45–60 minutes more, brushing with glaze every 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F and the exterior is deeply caramelized.
Rest the roast. Transfer pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 15–20 minutes — this step is not optional. The juices redistribute and the glaze sets into something truly beautiful.
Carve and serve. Slice between the bones or carve into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on a platter and spoon the reserved warm cherry glaze over the top before bringing it to the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cherry-Glazed Roast Pork — The Centerpiece of the Table You Built