Apple Chili Pork Roast combines sweet and savory elements in a grilled pork roast. The pork roast has a crispy exterior and a juicy, moist interior with a surprise filling. The apple lends its juicy sweetness and the guajillo chilis bring color and a mild spiciness to both the stuffing and the sauce. The rich, slightly chunky sauce connects with the stuffing while adding a flavorful, colorful finish to this dish. Enjoy Apple Chili Pork Roast with Grilled Asparagus for a colorful, very tasty dinner, accompanied by a well-chilled, dry rosé wine.
Roast Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus refrigeration time. Grilling Time: 35 minutes plus 10 minutes resting time.
Sauce Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Serves 4.
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Ingredients:
For the Pork Roast, stuffing and rub:
- 2 lbs boneless Pork Loin Roast
- 1 ½ oz dried Guajillo Chilis, seeded and destemmed
- 1 small Apple
- 1 Tb Cooking Oil (Olive/Canola Oil blend is recommended)
- 1 tsp coarse Sea Salt
- 1 tsp granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp ground Cumin
- 1 tsp granulated Onion
- 1 tsp granulated Garlic
- 1 tsp Bittersweet Smoked Paprika
For the Sauce:
- Balance of the unused Apple and Guajillo Chilis from the stuffing
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped to yield approximately ½ cup
- 2 Tbs Salted Butter
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tb fresh Cranberries, minced
- 1 tsp granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp ground Allspice
- ½ tsp ground Cumin
- 1/3 cup Dry Sherry
- ½ cup Water from the rehydrated chilis
- 3 Tbs Heavy Cream
Preparation:
- Place the seeded and destemmed dried guajillo chilis in a glass bowl and pour very hot water over to rehydrate them. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
- Peel and core the apple and cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch chunks.
- Using a slender, pointed-tip chef’s knife, carefully make two 1-inch wide slits lengthwise in an X formation all the way through the center of the pork loin roast.
- Working from one end of the roast, push alternating rehydrated chili and apple pieces into the center slit to the middle of the roast, continue until the end of the roast is reached, repeat from the other end of the roast.
- Rub one tablespoon of cooking oil over the exterior of the stuffed pork roast, including the short ends and place the oiled roast in a sealable container.
- In a bowl, combine the sea salt, sugar, cumin, granulated onion and garlic and paprika. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the entire exterior of the roast; cover the container and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Remove the pork roast from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature prior to grilling, about 45 minutes, leaving you time to prepare the sauce.
- In a sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons of salted butter into 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat; while this is happening, finely chop the onion.
- Add the chopped onion to the sauce pan, stir and sauté as the onion softens.
- Mince the cranberries together with the balance of the unused chilis and apples while the onion is cooking and set aside.
- Combine the seasonings, sugar, allspice, and cumin in a small bowl.
- When the onion is golden brown, add the seasonings to the sauteed onion, stir and continue to sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the minced cranberries, chilis and apples, along with the dry sherry and ½ cup of the rehydrating water from the chilis to the sauce pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Spoon the sauce mixture into a suitable container and process with a hand blender until all the large pieces have been well blended into the sauce; the sauce will not be smooth but still have some small pieces in it. Add the heavy cream and blend into the sauce. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Bring the grill to a high heat. On a direct high heat, char all sides of the pork roast, including the short end sides if possible, about 2 minutes per side.
- Turn off the burners under the roast, leaving the other burners lit and grill via indirect heat, covered, to an internal temperature of 155 F. We strongly recommend setting an alarm, first for 15 minutes, checking the internal temperature between intervals; when the internal temperature reaches 120 F, go to intervals of 5 minutes.
- When the roast reaches 155 F, remove the roast from the grill to a cutting board, cover with foil and let the roast rest for 10 minutes. Pour the sauce into a serving bowl.
- Slice the Apple Chili Pork Roast and serve with the sauce.
