Sherry Marinated Roasted Pork Loin Smothered in a Mushroom, Onion Cream Sauce paired with a French Roussanne Wine

I think that autumn just screams comfort food and this Sherry Marinated, Roasted Pork Loin smothered in a Mushroom, Onion Cream sauce will certainly keep you warm on those chillier nights. Pair this savoury roasted pork loin with Aldi’s Specially Selected IGP Pays d’Oc French Roussanne wine and you’ll have a meal you won’t forget.

Prepping the Ingredients

A pork loin joint and a pork tenderloin are often confused. Basically, a pork loin joint comes from the back of the pig, is wider, is a bit less tender, can be served boneless or bone-in and often has a layer of fat (and sometimes skin) on one side. This joint offers three cuts which are the sirloin, centre cut and blade end. The centre cut is the most tender cut, while the sirloin often has more bones and the blade end tends to be fattier. On the other hand, the tenderloin is a separate, narrow muscle that runs directly along the backbone that often has very little fat and is cut away from the pork loin. A pork tenderloin cooks faster because it isn’t as thick as a pork loin.

I chose to use a centre-cut, boneless pork loin joint for this dish because the slices are a bit bigger and I think the layer of fat adds a bit of roasted savouriness that complements the flavours within this dish. I chose to not use a pork loin with the skin attached to the fat because I don’t think this recipe works well with crackling, as it’s meant to be soft and savoury. Also, I preferred to have a boneless joint, as it is easier to slice; however, the bones do add more flavour.

If you’re interested in the specifics of butchering a pork loin, then check out this video. I found it to be very informative.

Sherry Marinade

• At least 6 hours before serving, you will want to marinate the pork loin in a medium-dry Sherry. I chose this type of Sherry because it has a bit of residual sugar that adds a subtle sweetness to the pork, but not too much that it becomes sickeningly sweet. Also, marinating meat in alcohol enhances the flavours, but it doesn’t tenderise the meat, which is a common misconception.
• Find a container that will snuggly fit your pork loin or a resealable plastic bag. I chose to use a loaf pan, which fit my pork loin perfectly. Pour the Sherry in first, add about 10 crushed juniper berries and carefully place the pork loin in the marinade mixture. Add a bit more Sherry so the pork loin is almost submerged, season with salt and pepper and scatter a few more crushed juniper berries on top. Juniper berries add such a lovely evergreen note to the marinade. This is a common ingredient in Scandinavian cuisine.
• Finally, cover the entire pan with cling film and refrigerate until you’re ready to begin roasting.

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Roasting Time!

• Begin by setting your oven to 250°C.
• At least 30 minutes before you’re ready to roast the pork loin, remove it from the refrigerator. Gently place the pork loin on a roasting rack that is inside a roasting pan fat-side up and make sure you don’t discard the marinade. You’ll use it later in the cream sauce.

• Using a paper towel, pat the pork loin dry. This enables the fat to crisp up a bit when roasting.
• Rub olive oil over the pork loin and then season with salt and pepper. The olive oil increases the surface temperature of pork loin, while the salt dries out the layer of fat. Together, this enables the fat to brown which creates a savoury crust. The pepper simply adds a bit of complementary seasoning to the mix.
• Place the pork loin in the oven for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, turn the heat down to 180°C. By this time, the fat should have browned and developed a textured crust.

• Continue baking for an additional 30 minutes. At this point, feel free to place vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and parsnips under the roast. Make sure they are coated in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. The drippings from the roast will soak into the veggies and add so much flavour!
• After 30 minutes, remove the roast from the oven and throw in a few slices of apple to sweeten up the veggie mix. Continue to roast the pork loin for another 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the pork loin is at least 63°C. At this temperature, the pork loin will stay moist and the meat won’t dry out.

• Once you’ve reached your desired serving temperature, remove the pork loin roast from the rack and baking pan. Place the pork loin roast on a carving board, cover with aluminium foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the veggies and apples to a serving platter and cover them with aluminium foil until ready to serve
• Be sure to not wash the roasting pan, as you will use the leftover goodness from the pork loin and vegetables to create the mushroom and onion cream sauce.

Mushroom and Onion Cream Sauce

• Begin by placing your roasting pan with all the residual goodness over at least two burners on your cooktop. Over medium heat, add the chicken stock and the sherry marinade to the roasting pan. Using a whisk, gently scrape the goodness off the pan to incorporate it into the liquid. Turn off the heat and carefully pour the liquid into a jug, as you will later gradually add this mixture to the cream sauce.
• Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms. Set them aside.

• Then press two cloves of garlic and set them aside separately from the mushrooms and onions.

• In a saucepan, melt 60 grams of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the pressed garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the sliced onions and mushrooms. Continue to sauté until the onions become translucent and the mushrooms have softened, which is about 2-3 minutes.
• Then add the sherry, chicken broth and goodness mixture, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 1 minute.

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• Add a tablespoon of dark brown sugar and stir well to combine.
• Pour in the double cream and combine with the other ingredients over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until it reaches a gentle simmer, not boil!! Cream will separate if it gets too hot. Therefore, it is best to simmer, stir and monitor the sauce during these final stages.
• Finally, season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.

Serving

• Unwrap the roasted pork loin from the foil. At this point you will have several juices that have oozed out of the meat. Feel free to add these to the cream sauce…the more flavours the better!
• Using a carving knife, slice the pork loin into 2cm wide slices.

• Place on a serving platter and pour the mushroom, onion cream sauce over the pork slices. Garnish with fresh thyme.
• Serve immediately with the roasted veggies and a slice or two of garlic bread.

Wine Pairing

• Enjoy this Sherry Marinated Roasted Pork Loin with a glass of Aldi’s Specially Selected French Roussanne wine. As the pork loin is marinated in a medium-dry Sherry, there is some residual sweetness enhancing the flavours of the meat. I chose an aromatic, off-dry white wine to balance the sweetness within the meat while also adding complementing flavours and aromas of camomile blossom, ripe apricot and subtle pineapple notes along with herbal aromatics on a lengthy, zingy, flavour-filled finish. I think you’ll love this pairing!