Cherry-Almond Glazed Pork Roast

This is the kind of roast that makes the whole house smell like the holidays, no matter what month it is.

A four-pound boneless pork loin goes into the oven low and slow, then gets basted with a cherry glaze that’s equal parts sweet and tangy: cherry preserves, red wine vinegar, a drizzle of corn syrup, plus cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Toasted slivered almonds folded into the sauce give every bite a nutty crunch that plays off the tender pork beautifully.

Let it rest, slice it thick, and pass the extra sauce at the table.

Chef’s Tips

• A meat thermometer is your best friend here. Pull the roast when it hits the right internal temperature for juicy, not dried-out, pork.
• Baste generously and often during the last 30 minutes. Each layer of glaze builds a sticky, lacquered crust.
• Let the roast rest a full ten minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the cutting board.
• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often. They go from golden to burnt in a blink.