Garlic-Apple Pork Roast -- Cooking for the Whole Crew When Summer Finally Arrives

Summer. All the kids home. Amber commuting to her shelter summer job again. Tyler at the dealership preparing for Milford in August. Justin working at a summer job at the lumber yard — Dave arranged it — and lifting in the afternoons. Josie has theater camp again.

Drove Tuesday, short.

Book two copyedits 50% done.

Gayle stable.

Sunday: Father's Day is next week. Dave is turning 48 in two weeks. Brenda is cooking for all of it.

With Father’s Day coming up and Dave’s birthday right behind it, I needed something that felt celebratory without being fussy — something that could anchor a table full of hungry kids who’ve been working hard all week. The Garlic-Apple Pork Roast has always been my answer for moments like this: it’s the kind of roast that makes the whole house smell like you’ve been at it for hours, even when summer has you pulled in a dozen directions at once.

Garlic-Apple Pork Roast

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr 50 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in pork loin roast (4 to 5 lbs)
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
• 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 350°F. Set a rack in a large roasting pan.
2. Stud the roast with garlic. Using a sharp paring knife, cut small slits about 1 inch deep all over the surface of the pork roast. Press a garlic slice into each slit so the garlic is fully embedded.
3. Make the rub. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Rub this mixture evenly over all sides of the pork roast.
4. Build the base. Scatter the sliced onion rings and apple slices in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the seasoned pork roast on the rack above them. Pour the apple cider into the bottom of the pan.
5. Add sweetness. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top surface of the roast.
6. Roast. Place in the preheated oven and roast uncovered for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F. Baste with the pan juices once or twice during roasting.
7. Rest and serve. Remove the roast from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the softened apples and onions from the pan alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 390mg