Marinating the pork in wine acts like a brine. The flavor infuses itself into the meat, leaving an exceptionally tender bite. The addition of lemon juice adds the right amount of citrus and the rosemary offers woodsy notes. Serve with rice pilaf.
Ingredients
1 2lb to 3 lb pork loin
3 sprigs rosemary
3/4 cup Pinot Noir red wine
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon brandy
The rind of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
Make a few crosscuts across the pork fat. Lift the layer of fat and place one sprig of rosemary underneath. Season the outside of the roast with salt and pepper. Prepare the marinade by mixing together the wine, lemon juice, sugar, brandy, and lemon rind using one of the rosemary sprigs. Place the pork, fat side up, in a deep casserole dish and pour the wine over the roast. Place the two rosemary sprigs on either side of the roast. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, remove the roast from the marinade and place it on a layer of carrots and celery in a roasting pan. Season the top with additional salt and pepper in case the salt has fallen into the brine. Bring the pork roast to room temperature. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 450°F, and when the pork is at room temperature, roast for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the temperature down to 350°F and continue to cook until the roast has reached an internal temperature of 160°F (approximately 1 hour depending on the size of the roast).
Remove the pork roast from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Serves 4 to 6.
Patataki 