We love pairing apples and pork. If you don’t believe us, just search “Apple” in the ingredient search list, and you’ll find recipes like Pork and Apple Haluski (Cabbage with Egg Noodles), “Forbidden Apple” Ribs, Appenzeller Apple Pork, Apple Cider Braised Pork, and Cheddar and Onion Pork Wellington (among others). However, we’d never cooked with apple butter…and since my sous chef gave me a jar for Christmas this year, we felt like it was time to expand our horizons. It turned out to be a fantastic topper for pork since it adhered very well during cooking, infused the pork with apple goodness, and also played very nicely with the seasonings we added to it to try to enhance the dish (sage and black pepper).
We served our pork with a sauteed veggie medley containing sliced turnip (similar to Turnip Wedge Fries), Shaved Brussels Sprouts, and red peppers. However, this would also pair nicely with Garlic Butter Sauteed Portobello Slices or Mashed Potatoes.
Time: 50 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Pork Tenderloin
- Dried Sage
- Black Pepper
- Apple Butter
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, line a baking sheet with foil, and give it a quick oil spray.
- Remove any excess fat from your pork tenderloin as desired, and sprinkle a little salt on the top and bottom sides. Then, place your pork on your baking sheet.
- Spread your apple butter atop your pork.
- Sprinkle on some dried sage and black pepper.
- Transfer to the oven, and bake for about 40 minutes (or until your pork reaches an internal cooked temperature between 145 degrees F (medium rare) and 160 degrees F (well).
- When your pork reaches your desired level of doneness, remove from the oven, and transfer to a cutting board.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then slice.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
