Schab Pieczony (Polish Roasted Pork Loin) — Babcia’s Championship Sunday Dinner

Hockey finals week. And — I'm burying the lede here — we won. Thursday night, Waukesha Ice Dogs, who had been undefeated all season. They were favored. They had two guys who played college hockey. Their goalie was a wall. We had heart and stubbornness, which in Wisconsin is basically a superpower. Game was tight — 2-2 going into the third. I was playing my best hockey of the season, hitting clean, moving the puck well, staying disciplined. With four minutes left, our center broke free on a two-on-one and I was the trailer. He slid it to me. I was ten feet from the net. Open side. The goalie went down. I roofed it. Top shelf, glove side. The bench exploded. I scored the game-winning goal. Me. The enforcer. The guy who hadn't scored all season. The guy whose job is to hit people and protect the skilled guys. I scored the goal that won the championship. Kevin rushed the ice. The team piled on. Pete, our captain the firefighter, was crying — actual tears — over a rec league hockey championship. I was laughing and crying at the same time. We got the trophy (a plaque, actually, and the Buffalo Wild Wings gift card, which Pete insisted we split equally). It was the best night I've had in a long time. In the parking lot after, sitting in my Jeep with the heater blasting, I looked at my wrist. The number 8 tattoo. Danny's number. He was a center. He would have been the one on the two-on-one. He would have been the one to slide me that pass. And somehow, three years and nine months after he died, Danny Katz set up one more goal. I sat in the parking lot for twenty minutes. I might have cried. Kowalski men don't cry. But maybe, just this once. I was so pumped that I went home and made pierogi at midnight. Attempt three. The dough was right this time — thin, smooth, elastic. I rolled it out on my tiny counter with Babcia's wooden spoon as a rolling pin (it's round enough, sort of) and made twenty-four pierogi that were legitimately good. Not Babcia-good. But close. Closer than ever. Sunday dinner: Babcia made schab pieczony — roasted pork loin with prunes and spices. A December classic. Rich, celebratory. Everything this week felt celebratory.

Babcia didn’t know about the goal, or Danny, or the parking lot—she just knew it was December and that called for schab pieczony, the same roasted pork loin with prunes she’s made every cold-weather celebration for as long as I can remember. But sitting down to that meal after the week I’d had, something rich and slow-cooked and a little sweet felt exactly right. Here’s how she makes it—and how I’m going to make it for the rest of my life.

Schab Pieczony (Polish Roasted Pork Loin with Prunes)

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 20 min | Total Time: 1 hr 40 min (plus overnight marinating) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless pork loin, trimmed
• 12 pitted prunes (dried plums)
• 4 cloves garlic, slivered
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 medium yellow onions, thickly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for finishing)

Instructions

1. Stuff the roast. Using a sharp paring knife or thin skewer, poke deep channels into the pork loin every 2 inches along its length. Press a prune and a sliver of garlic into each channel, pushing them fully into the meat.
2. Season and marinate. Combine salt, pepper, marjoram, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg. Rub the mixture all over the pork. Drizzle with oil, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
3. Bring to room temperature. Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 375°F.
4. Sear the roast. Heat an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a thin film of oil and sear the pork on all sides until deep golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side.
5. Build the base. Remove the pork and set aside. Add sliced onions to the pan and cook over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add wine (or broth) and water, and stir to combine.
6. Roast. Nestle the pork loin back on top of the onions. Cover with a lid or tight foil and roast for 50 minutes. Uncover, baste with pan juices, and roast uncovered for an additional 20–25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F at the thickest part.
7. Rest and finish the pan sauce. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, swirl butter into the pan juices over medium heat and taste for seasoning. The onions and prune drippings make a simple, sweet-savory sauce.
8. Slice and serve. Cut the pork into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on a platter and spoon pan sauce and onions over top. Serve with pierogi, roasted potatoes, or braised red cabbage.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 530mg