Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Cranberry Pork Roast
Cranberry sauce gives a savory pork roast a bright, sweet-tart finish. Warm spices and a little orange make the outside especially appealing against the tender slices. A helping with some cranberry alongside the meat catches those flavors together in a very inviting way.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 80 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Original yield
- Serves 10
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Roasting · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Season all sides
Drizzle the pork with oil, then distribute the thyme, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper evenly around it.
2. Wait for the sear
Brown each side deeply, waiting until the pork releases easily from the pan before turning it.
3. Uncover to finish roasting
Begin the oven stage covered, then remove the foil for the remaining roasting and temperature check.
Get to know the ingredients
Pork loin
Use pork loin for this roast and check its thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.
Orange zest
Grate orange zest over the seared pork after drizzling honey around its sides for roasting.
Cranberry sauce
Either homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce works for topping the pork slices at serving.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 10. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Cranberry Pork Roast
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Cranberry over the slices
Let the roast rest on its cutting board, then slice it and top with cranberry sauce.
A little more help as you go
Honey after searing
Add the honey only after the pork has browned and the skillet is off the heat.
Middle oven rack
Arrange the oven rack in the middle position before preheating for the covered roast.
A few questions you might have
Do I make cranberry sauce in the skillet?
Prepare or choose it separately while the pork roasts, then use it over the sliced meat.
When does the pork leave the skillet?
Transfer it to a cutting board after roasting for its rest before you begin slicing.
Can I use purchased cranberry sauce?
Yes, store-bought sauce is an explicit option alongside homemade cranberry sauce for serving.
Should the honey coat only the top?
Drizzle it over all sides of the seared loin before grating orange zest over the roast.
Is the first oven stage uncovered?
No, cover the pork with foil first, then remove it for the final part of roasting.
Any more cooking tips?
The best way to tell when your pork is done is to take its internal temperature using a meat thermometer that’s inserted in the center part of the pork and the temperature reads at least 145F/62.8C to 155F/68.3C. If you don’t own a meat thermometer, pierce the pork in the middle with a fork and if the juices run clear, the meat is done.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
