Roast Pork with Spiced Cherry Sauce
Submitted by Rosadele
Roast pork loin rubbed with sage, salt, and pepper, served with a spiced cherry sauce of tart cherries simmered with cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, and lemon juice. A holiday-worthy roast.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
100 minREADY
130 minA simple sage-rubbed pork loin paired with a glossy, jewel-red cherry sauce that’s simultaneously sweet, tart, and warmly spiced. The roast itself is straightforward: salt, pepper, and rubbed sage on a boneless loin, baked uncovered until the thermometer hits the right mark. All the excitement is in the sauce.
Tart red cherries get drained and their juice becomes the sauce base. Simmered with sugar, vinegar, whole cloves, and a cinnamon stick for 10 minutes, the liquid reduces into a fragrant, spiced syrup. A cornstarch slurry thickens it into a glossy sauce that clings to each slice of pork, and the cherries go back in at the end along with lemon juice and a pat of butter for richness.
The sweet-tart cherry sauce against the savory, sage-scented pork is the kind of pairing that makes this feel like a holiday centerpiece without requiring holiday-level effort.
Chef Tips
- Use tart (sour) cherries, not sweet Bing cherries. Sweet cherries will make the sauce cloying without the necessary acidity
- Remove the whole cloves and cinnamon stick before adding the cornstarch. Biting into a whole clove in cherry sauce is not a pleasant surprise
- Let the roast rest 10 minutes before slicing. This redistributes the juices for moister meat
- Make the sauce while the pork roasts so everything finishes at the same time
Variations
- Use dried tart cherries rehydrated in hot water if canned aren’t available
- Add a splash of port wine or brandy to the sauce for a more complex, adult flavor
- Swap sage for rosemary on the pork for a different herbal pairing with the cherry sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Rub roast with salt, pepper and sage; place in an ungreased shallow baking pan.
Bake, uncovered, at 325℉ (160℃) for 1½ to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160-170.
Meanwhile, drain cherries, reserving liquid.
Set cherries aside.
Add water to cherry liquid to measure ¾ cup.
Pour ½ cup into a saucepan; add sugar, vinegar, cloves and cinnamon.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the spices.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining cherry liquid until smooth; add to saucepan.
Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in lemon juice, butter, cherries and food color, if desired; heat through.
Let roast stand for 10 minutes; slice and serve with the cherry sauce.
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