A long-time favourite at our house! Redolent with ginger and fresh thyme, a perfect autumn dinner, perhaps served with spaetzle or roasted potatoes. The sauce is delicious! Any leftovers would make a great sandwich with some of my Spiced Fruit Chutney.
Makes 6 Servings
Rub for the Roast:
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme
2 ½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
¼ tsp. ground ginger
For Cooking the Roast:
3 ½ to 4 lb. boneless pork loin roast (preferably the loin end)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, not EVO
2 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
1 bay leaf
For the Sauce:
¾ tsp. ground ginger
1 1/3 cups Gewurztraminer or Riesling wine
1 cup unsalted chicken broth (see below) or purchased chicken stock
4 – 6 good quality gingersnap cookies, crumbled
¼ cup whipping cream
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme
Combine the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. If the roast comes tied and rolled, untie and unroll. If the roast has a thick layer of fat, trim the layer down to between 1/8 to ¼”; place pork in a non-aluminum pan and rub the entire surface with the rub. Cover the pork and place in the fridge for 12 – 24 hours.
Cook the Roast:
Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven, preheat to 325 F.
Scrape all the marinade from the pork; pat meat dry; reroll and tie back together using kitchen string. Add the oil to a heavy heatproof pan that is just slightly larger than the roast. Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides; transfer to a platter. Discard the oil and turn the heat down to medium-low; add the butter and melt; add the onions, carrot, thyme sprigs, garlic and bay leaf. Cover and cook 5 minutes; add the pork, fat side up. Cover, increase heat to medium-high and cook until sizzling, about 1 minute. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 14 minutes per lb. or until the roast reaches 150-155 F when tested with an instant read thermometer. Check the roast approximately half an hour before you think it should be done just to see where things are at. When done, remove to a warm platter; tent roast with foil. Let the roast rest while you make the sauce. Remove the string before carving the roast.
Make the Sauce:
Skim excess fat from the roasting pan if necessary. Add the ginger to the pan and stir over medium-high heat 30 seconds. Add the wine, stock and gingersnaps. Stir until thickened to the consistency of a thin sauce, crushing the mixture with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon; approximately 8 minutes, the gingersnaps should disappear into the sauce; add the cream and boil until thickened to the consistency of a medium-thin sauce; approximately 8 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste; if you wish, strain the sauce into a heated sauceboat, pressing gently on the solids; stir in the minced thyme.
Slice the pork into 1/4” slices and spoon a little sauce over, passing the remaining sauce separately.
Helpful link to Making Stock.
