Nov. 6         #620                    ROAST PORK AND FRIENDS

 Late in the summer when we were talking about plums, we mentioned how well they went with pork.  That got us thinking about other things that went well with "the other white meat", and what the best approaches were for serving pork.  Pork is one of those foods that practically demands some sort of partnership.  Although perfectly roasted pork tenderloin may be just fine by itself, it's a whole lot more fun if you glazed it, stuffed it, or worked up a great sauce for it.
The classic cuts are the tenderloin, the shoulder roast and chops.  The latter vary considerably in thickness, from skinny little flaps of meat that cook up in seconds, to big thick cuts that demand to a stuffing.  Today's pork is much leaner than it used to be, so your chops and tenderloin are drier and require careful cooking.  Either a quick ultra hot roast or a slow low temp approach can work. 
Today's pork is also much healthier, but nevertheless you should shoot for an internal temperature of 160 for medium and 170 for well done.  Check with a meat thermometer, or prick the roast (the juice should be clear or just slightly pink).  The best way is to slice into it and see if the meat is white though and through.  Some people may like a little pink…but better go with all white with this meat.
Three of the most popular ways of dressing up pork are marinades, glazes and stuffings.
Marinades are high acid liquids infused with seasoning that tenderize the pork and impart a flavor into the surface of the meat.  Wine, soy sauce, citric juices, and beer are favorite liquids.  A big sealable plastic bag is the current container of choice.  Load it up and keep it in the fridge overnight.  If you want to use the marinade as a basting sauce, be sure to boil it before re-using to kill any bacteria it may have picked up.
Glazes are sticky, flavorful pastes that you smear on the meat.  Syrups, honey, or any reduced sauce will work.  Solid ingredients need to be processed into small particles so that they can adhere to the pork's surface and stay suspended in the glaze.  Useful glazing ingredients include: mustard, fruit jellies, apple juice, port or olaroso sherry, fruit like cherries, cranberries and dried apricots, spices like rosemary, garlic, caraway or fennel seeds, marjoram, and sage, and the old standbys onions, celery and red peppers
Stuffings are mixtures of coarsely chopped ingredients, usually well seasoned and dampened with a flavorful liquid.  In a shoulder roast or tenderloin, you use a sharp knife to cut a deep slit which receives the stuffing.  In chops, you'll need a minimum of 11/4" thickness.  Cut a slit into the middle of the chop's side,  and add the stuffing. Since pork is fairly dry, very little breading is ever called for (this would absorb too much precious juice).  It's better to start with moist ingredients.  Combinations of onions, garlic and fruits are classic:  prune, apricot and apple are the stars. Other ideas include sauerkraut, spinach, mushroom duxelles, and sausage.          

Finally, use those pan juices to make a nice pork gravy.  Separate off the fat, deglaze the pan with white wine, make a brown roux, work the juice back in, and season to your taste.

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