Glazed Pork Loin Roast

This pork loin roast gets a sweet-savory glaze of orange marmalade, mustard, and thyme that caramelizes as the meat cooks, creating a sticky, fragrant crust. Garlic cloves tucked into slits in the fat cap infuse the roast from the inside out as it heats.

Cooking in a bag traps steam and the roast essentially braises in its own juices and the melting glaze. The result is remarkably moist meat with a concentrated pan sauce ready to spoon over each slice. The bag also keeps your oven (or microwave) clean.

The marmalade does more than sweeten. Those little bits of orange peel in the marmalade add a subtle bitter citrus note that balances the richness of the pork and plays well against the mustard and thyme.

Kitchen Tips

• Leave a finger-sized opening when tying the bag closed. This vents steam and prevents the bag from bursting
• Let the roast rest in the bag for the full 10 minutes after cooking. The juices redistribute and the meat finishes cooking gently from residual heat
• Check the temperature in several spots. Pork loins can cook unevenly, especially in a microwave
• Save the bag juices and spoon them over the sliced meat. That liquid is pure concentrated flavor

Variations

• Use apricot preserves instead of marmalade for a milder, more fruity glaze
• Add a tablespoon of soy sauce to the glaze for an Asian-inspired sweet-salty crust
• Cook conventionally in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes per pound for a traditional roast approach