This week has definitely been one for the record books.
Thank you, thank you for all of your amazing support of—and eyeballs on—the launch of the Summer 2012 issue of FoodieCrush magazine. Your comments through the blog, on Twitter and Facebook reinforce my belief that there IS an audience that loves food bloggers, their recipes and photography and you too want to know more about these talents beyond their blogs.
Please don’t stop learning about these bloggers after you click close on the magazine. Visit their blogs and let them know you’re there with a simple comment, a wave or a shout and let them know you like them and their work.
One of the articles I was most excited to share is the Boys of Summer feature, featuring some of the best boy bloggers on the web aka Verses From My Kitchen, The Sophisticated Gourmet, SippitySup, Closet Cooking, A Thought for Food and Eat the Love, to give them some man-love-food props and strut their boy food stuff. I keep thinking they would make an amazing boy band, I’d be a groupie for sure.
There are so many amazing food bloggers on the www. I swear I have enough content to publish a new issue every week. Hey, that might be something to aspire to right?
So getting another issue of FoodieCrush out the door. Whew. That was a big deal.
And another big deal happened for me too, something some of you may have seen a mention of on Twitter or Facebook.
I kinda quit my job.
Like my job working for someone else. Like I’m now my own boss and I couldn’t be more thrilled or invigorated and I have all of you to thank for it.
But we’ll chat more about that next week, after I’ve had a celebratory glass or 27 of wine, vacuumed up the neglected 5” of dog hair from my office and soaked up some sun at the pool with my Smudge.
Today I’m off to the Evo Conference and a weekend at Canyons Resort in Park City. I am so looking forward to spending time with some great foodie bloggers—and looking forward to meeting more—taking photo classes from Diane and Todd of White On Rice and Jaden of Steamy Kitchen and taking pics on my iPhone of the food I’m eating, the bloggers I’m stalking and the random awesome shoes I’m coveting.
I’ll be sharing via Instagram and Twitter and will be your roving virtual evo attendee if you’d like to follow me there. Or check out the hastag #evoconf on Twitter to see what others are tweeting and eating.
But until then, let’s talk about pork.
Pork, pork, pork.
Pork is probably the animal protein that most often makes it onto my plate, yes even more than chicken but definitely not more than shrimp. But then shrimp aren’t animals so I think we’re okay.
But pork has a bit of a problem. It tends to get dry, and if you cook it too long its turns the corner from decadent to dehydrated faster than a dog escaping through an open front door. Oh wait, that’s just my blasphemous pups.
But I found the secret. Brining.
An overnight stay in a food storage bag filled with salty, spiced up water makes pork more juicy than the details of Katie and Tom’s divorce settlement.
And if you didn’t know, the USDA has dropped the internal temperature for safe eating to 145 degrees internal. Looks like everyone was thinking it was getting a little dry.
The Balsamic Rosemary Chile Glaze adds a touch of sweetness and a hit of spice, the perfect topper for the loin. Watch the glaze carefully during the initial boil, balsamic vinegar in the reduction phase can burn quickly if it’s feeling abandoned.
Grilled Pork Loin Roast with Balsamic and Raspberry Chili Glaze
Ingredients
Pork Loin Roast
- 4-5 pound pork loin roast sometimes called pork sirloin roast. (This is a bigger cut than the tenderloin.) * Do not cut fat cap off of the roast. The fat cap gives the roast juice and flavor.
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 6-8 sprigs Italian parsley stems and leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme stems and leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary stems and leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh sage stems and leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- freshly ground pepper
Balsamic and Raspberry Chili Glaze
- makes 1 cup
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- ⅔ cup raspberries
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
Instructions
- Set pork loin aside. In a large bowl or 6 quart measuring cup combine remaining ingredients and stir to combine. (I don’t boil the ingredients as suggested by Grilling Companion and it still comes out delicious.)
- Add pork loin and brine to a large Ziplock freezer bag and seal. Place bag in a large mixing bowl to catch any overflow if freezer bag opens or leaks during refrigeration period. Refrigerate for at least 12 to 24 hours.
- Prepare grill to high heat. Remove pork from refrigerator for about an hour and bring to room temperature. Remove pork from brine, but do not discard garlic, rosemary or parsely sprigs. Pat pork roast with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- With a sharp knife make ½” deep incisions in the pork about every 2 inches. Stuff garlic pieces and herbs into incisions on both sides of roast. Rub roast with olive oil and ground pepper.
- Sear pork on grill, 2-3 minutes on all sides until browned with grill marks. If using a gas grill, turn one side of grill to low bringing the internal temperature of the grill to about 300 degrees. Move roast to the non-heat side, with fat cap side of pork on top. Close lid and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until internal temperature of roast is 145 degrees. Turn roast every 20 minutes or so to ensure even browning.
- During last half hour of cooking, start Balsamic and Raspberry Chili Glaze (directions below.)
- Remove roast from grill, cover with tin foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice in thin slices, top with glaze and savor the juiciness.
For the Glaze
- In a saucepan bring balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, rosemary and chili paste to a low boil, reduce temperature and simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens (you can tell if its thick enough if glaze covers back of a spoon) and reduces by half. Add raspberries and cook for another 5-10 minutes until raspberries become soft and break down when mashed with a spoon.
- Add butter and stir to thicken. Remove from heat and serve over slices of pork.
Notes
Nutrition
Have a great weekend everyone. Please take a minute to gaze through the summer issue of FoodieCrush mag and check out all the awesome bloggers. If you like it, please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or good old fashioned word of mouth. Next week is a brand new life for me and you will be my #1 focus. Can’t wait to share more blog love with you then.
Here’s to the www that brings us all toghether.
XOXOX H
Related Posts
5 Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken
Family Food Flashback and Some Der Wienerschnitzel
One Pot Recipes for Sloppy Joes
Thanks for reading and please keep in touch. Subscribe to Foodie Crush and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest and check out Foodie Crush magazine and Cookie Cravings cookbook.
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I’m all over it. Going to find a nice organic roast and brine it up. I love the glaze. At first I thought it was pomegranate… which I think would be great too. But we are loaded with raspberries from our neighbor so I was happy it was that.
I’ve alway lived on the edge eating rosé pork :-)
I am sooo jealous you quit your job! Good for you! I am assuming you are doing this blog full time? Awesome!
I knew when I met you that I liked you and that you were someone special, but damn girl :-)
Heidi (said in the deepest southern drawl) You’re amazing girl.
Congratulations!! (with 1000 exclamation points)
Here’s to Gondola rides, Rustic Tarts, Park City, EVO and laughter about accents. I’m so glad we met and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.
Cheers, lady :-)
I don’t know how you do it, make me instantly crave everything you put on this site. Your pictures are just outstanding! I’m so excited to see what the future holds for you!
Oh friend, This looks fantastic, and beautiful. What a blessing to have such a talented person in my life. Pinning it!!!
Gosh, if I ever eat pork in future I want this to be my first pork meal!. SO good!
Also Congratulations on all your achievements! Being your own boss is kinda huge deal. Enjoy it! I am so glad you featured all my favorite boys in your latest issue and hence I got to know about the wonderful work that your are doing here. So impressed! You’ve gained yourself a new fan :-)
HOLY SCHNIKES! This sounds fab-u-loso Heidi! And congrats on the quiting-of-your-job, that had to feel absolutely thrilling!
Congrats; I am SO happy for you Heidi! You deserve this and I love your incredible recipes and photography. Hope you had fun at EVO; wish I was there to play with you gals but hope to see you again soon.
Have a great night and congrats, again!
xo
Hey, just wanted to let you know that your mag is BEAUTIFULLY designed and executed. : ) love it! Thank you!
I have no idea how you filled so much information into one post. Congratulations for stepping out on your own. Scary but thrilling all at the same time. Best of luck.
The magazine is nothing short of amazing and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for including the guys. I know it’s a tough gig with so many women and sites targeted to women bloggers. It’s important that we acknowledge and encourage them so they’ll stick with us.
Recipe looks great!
But… Since when are shrimp not animals? They certainly aren’t plants!
Wow that just looks amazing. I’m really curious of the glaze combination, it’s sounds so delicious and exciting :)
Huge congrats, Heidi! The summer issue looks amazing and good luck on your new venture!! Have fun at EVO!!
Congratulations on your career move!! Best of luck to you. You do great work on this blog – I look forward to your posts.
This looks delicious! Love FoodieCrush and just downloaded the Summer issue for a better read after a quick peek yesterday to check out some of my favorite food bloggers. Excited for you to be your own boss – can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
Congrats on being your own boss, so very excited for you!
Oh I love this type of pork loin roast. My family will just finish this off in one sitting! Thanks for sharing this classic!
I am seriously so happy for you and your new life as your own boss. I’m sure it’s very liberating and freeing. You give me hope that it is possible to make it in this world as a blogger/writer/motivator/creator. So thank you! You’re awesome, and I wish you all the luck in the world. And have a blast at EVO. I’m sad I can’t be there.
your photos are so fabulous! It is so great to get to see you this week! xoxoxox
Pork is like a true love for me. THIS looks freaking gorgeous and I merrrst try the brining!
And quit your job…WOW. Can’t wait to talk more about it!
Woot woot, congrats girlfriend!! How empowering does it feel?? You are going to do great things (more great things)!
This looks absolutely amazing. And huge congrats on taking the step to leave your job! Wishing you all the best ahead!!
Woohoo, congrats on being your own boss! I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you, I’m pretty sure it’s something great!
And pork is definitely one of my favourite proteins, I love the idea of the glaze on this as well.
Congrats on the big job change! Have fun at the EVO conference:-)
I want to make this SO bad… but I don’t have a grill:( I know it wouldn’t be quite the same, but do you have any suggestions for how to modify the cooking for a gas broiler/oven? Congrats on the new “boss”:)
Hi Audrey, it is very easily adapted for the oven! Do all of the brining and prep steps through the olive oil. Over hugh heat, brown the pork roast creating a crust on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Bring oven to 325 degrees. Place the pork roast In a roasting pan just larger than the pork roast (if you have one fitted with a rack, all the better so it doesn’t get soggy on the underside. Cook for 45-60 minutes, checking your temp of
Thanks so much! I’ve got a pork loin in the freezer that has been waiting for just the right recipe to come along!