Roasted Pork Loin Sandwich with Cherry Sauce
I have been so MIA, and it’s really unacceptable.
I’m super sorry, guys! I’ve been enjoying time with my family, soaking up the sunshine, and barely cooking at all!
Actually, I am not doing anymore soaking of sunshine because I managed to get burned as shit during my very first trip to the beach. Well, done Rachael! Way to go! I can’t pick the aloe from my parents’ back yard fast enough to apply it to my ridiculously red skin. It’s even sillier because *only* my back side is burned. The front is completely fine and still Seattle pale. -sigh-
Since I’m here in Florida with my family, I thought it’d be great to share one of my mom’s famous recipes!
It’s her pork roast with cherry sauce. We used to eat it all the time growing up, usually with boxed mashed potatoes and canned peas. It has to be those! I usually prefer fresh stuff, but in this instance, the boxed and canned food is perfect—it may be due to the sheer nostalgia factor.
I’ve turned it into a sandwich, but I totally recommend making it for dinner as the meal I described above and then making these sandwiches with leftovers the next day!
I’m pretty obsessed with these sandwiches, though. They are savory, sweet, spicy deliciousness. I really like making these on toasted Hawaiian rolls because they are fluffy and sweet, but you could opt for something else like a hoagie if you prefer.
Pork goes really well with sweet things (think pork chops and applesauce), so its fantastic with this warmly spiced cherry sauce. Actually, I think you could put the cherry sauce on a shoe and chow down happily… It’s effing tasty. The peppery arugula and heat from the horseradish mustard help to temper the sweetness just enough.
These sandwiches + chilled white wine = Ho. Lee. Crap. good! Can you imagine what a fancy picnic you could have? And none of this is even hard to make!
PrintRoasted Pork Loin Sandwich with Cherry Sauce
Ingredients:
for the pork:
- 4 lb boneless pork loin roast
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
for the cherry sauce:
- 16-ounce can pitted tart or sour red cherries
- 1 star anise
- 1 dozen whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp butter
for the sandwiches:
- Hawaiian rolls (I just got the King's Hawaiian hot dog buns)
- mayo
- horseradish mustard
- arugula
Directions:
for the pork:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Rub the meat all over with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast for about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
for the cherry sauce:
- Drain the cherries but reserve the juice. Measure out 1/2 of a cup of juice (if there isn't enough cherry juice, add water). Tie the cloves and star anise up in cheesecloth.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cherry juice, sugar, cinnamon, spice bag, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Pour into the sauce and cook stirring constantly for 1 to 3 minutes until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cherries, lemon juice, and butter.
for the sandwiches:
- Toast the buns and spread with mayo and the mustard. Add in a bunch or arugula, top with some sliced pork, and finish with the cherry sauce.
*The sandwiches can be made with hot or cold pork. You will want to warm up the cherry sauce no matter what, though, as it will thicken too much once chilled.
Pork and cherry sauce recipe slightly adapted from Southern Living 1989
Seriously, this is the sandwich of my DREAMS! I cannot stop drooling over that awesome-looking cherry sauce! I’ll bet the flavors just explode!
Rachael replied: — May 29th, 2015 @ 12:07 pm
The cherry sauce is so outrageously good! You’d love it, Sarah! Thanks girlie 🙂
I love pork anything. This looks so good!!!
Rachael replied: — June 9th, 2015 @ 11:00 am
Thank you, Liz!!