Am I alive? I might be… I might also be dead and this could be heaven. Because… pork. PORK. Pork all de time. Not just plain old pork, either… maple-sage glazed pork. Only in the last 6 months have I realized how much I love this lean, swiney loin, mostly because of how EASY it is to make. Simply roast at 425 for 20-35 mins, depending on size, and you get a perfect pork tenderloin every time! I like to brown it on the stove (in bacon fat – mmm) prior to roasting for added color & (amazing bacon) flavor.
So, now that you know how to cook it… it’s time to jazz it up. This maple-sage glaze is a simple, yet, delicious way to do that. I had a variation of this dish while spending the weekend at a friend’s house in high school and I’ve recreated it in a yummy, grown-up, paleo version (sage instantly makes it “grown-up”, duh). I watched her mom whiz around the kitchen like a hummingbird. Quick, methodical, yet, no measuring – not even thinking twice about what she was doing. I was in awe – “no measuring?!”, I thought!? My baby brain automatically assuming she’s probably a culinary-master… Some Emeril-Lagasse-level shiz. (Emeril was the most popular celebrity chef at the time, okay. Don’t judge. He was as famous as it got back then. BAM!)
I watched my friend’s mama bake the pork loin in a beautiful stainless steel roasting pan, then, remove the meat to rest on a cutting board. She threw the shiny pan onto their blue-flamed gas range and squeezed in a bit of Aunt Jemima syrup (aka the former love of my life), a splash of vinegar, and a squirt of mustard while effortlessly scraping the bubbling contents of the pan. In what seemed like seconds, she had a delicious maple-mustard glaze flowing over top the now-sliced (honestly, when did she even have time to slice it? I WAS ENTRANCED) pork loin. There’s very few vivid moments I remember from high school (#partygirl), but, I’ll just end this paragraph with it was SO GOOD that that the memory is forever etched in my mind.
I’d probably say that was the day when I stopped resisting the fact that food/food-service was in my blood. My Korean mama raised me in & around her restaurants and I finally decided food may be something I’d actually want to pursue as a career. I eventually began cooking more “real” foods (you know, things other than scrambled eggs, ramen noodles, & hamburger helper) and after 3 years on my grain-free journey, here I am today! With you fine folks! Doing what I now love with my bloggypartner in crime, Elizabeth! Spreading primal lifestyle propaganda through cleaned-up recipes, creative, fun & crafty projects, health & wellness cavetalk, and dronish, psycho-blogger-babble! 😉 Weeeeeeeee! Overenthusiastic, party of one!
Maple-Sage Glazed Pork Loin {by Merit + Fork}
Pork, it doesn't have to be rubbery and tasteless. This pork loin is baked to perfection and glazed with a perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Best part? Any beginner cook can master this easy meal.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Bacon Grease, or oil of choice
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 lb Pork Loin, trimmed of excess fat
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lightly packed Fresh Sage Leaves, finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic, grated or minced
- ½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Pork Loin
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In an iron skillet, heat bacon grease over med hi heat.
- Season pork loin with salt and brown on all 4 sides, about 8 minutes total.
- Once browned, transfer skillet to oven & bake for around 20 minutes until internal temp reads 145°F.
- Transfer pork loin to cutting board to rest (it’ll cook a bit more while resting!) and place hot skillet on stove over med heat.
Maple Sage Glaze
- While pork is baking, in a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, vinegar, and mustard.
- After pork has been removed from the skillet, pour maple syrup mixture into hot skillet and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits off bottom of pan.
- Once bubbling, reduce to a med-low simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Once thickened, whisk in fresh sage, garlic, & black pepper and immediately remove from heat. Pour sauce into a glass bowl/serving dish.
- Slice pork and pour juices from the cutting board back into the sauce. Stir again before serving.
- Spoon maple-sage glaze over sliced pork and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6Amount Per Serving Calories 300Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 93mgSodium 648mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 0gSugar 8gProtein 30g
Nutrition is calculated by a third party and may not be 100% accurate
Katy
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
This is my favorite way to make pork loin now. I even use the glaze on chicken. Soooo good!
Jennifer L. Schillig
Friday 1st of September 2017
So, is it a pork loin or a pork TENDERloin? The picture seems to show a tenderloin, and there's a bit of a difference. Either way, I hope to make it the next time I've got a couple guests!
Jen
Sunday 19th of November 2017
The picture where the meat is raw looks like a pork loin.
LC
Saturday 21st of March 2015
My whole family loved it, even my picky kid. Im very glad I made a double batch. This is a keeper for sure.
Alisa
Saturday 14th of March 2015
Made this tonight and the kids loved it! They can't wait to have it again tomorrow! (kids - ages 4, 5 and 7).
Rob Benson
Monday 1st of December 2014
Nice work Nicole! When Kendra makes this it gets demolished, the kids keep going and going until they can't eat anymore.