- For the marinade
- 2 c. buttermilk
- 1/2 c. thinly sliced or diced onion  Â
- 6 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 T. kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
- 1/4 c. minced sage leaves
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 6 T. bacon fat or vegetable oil, plus additional if needed
- 4 c. cored apples, unpeeled, cut into inch thick slices
- 4 c. onions, sliced one inch thick
- 4 c. peeled celery root, cut into one-inch cubes
- 1/4 c. thinly sliced sage leaves
- 1/2 c. unpasteurized cider
- Sage sprigs for garnish, optional
One
or two days before you plan to serve the pork, combine the marinade
ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Squish the bag with your
hands to combine the ingredients and dissolve the sugar. Place the meat
in the bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Refrigerate the
meat, turning the bag occasionally. Remove the bag from the
refrigerator 2-3 hours before cooking to allow the meat to come to room
temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 T. of the
bacon fat or oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the fat is hot
but not smoking, add the onions and sauté until lightly browned, about
5 minutes. Transfer the onions to a baking dish large enough to hold
the pork roast. Add another tablespoon of bacon fat to the skillet and
add the celery root cubes. Brown them lightly as with the onions and
transfer them to the baking dish. Add another tablespoon of the bacon
fat to the skillet and repeat with the apples. Stir the apples, onions
and celery root to combine.
 Pour off any fat remaining in the
skillet. Return the skillet to the heat and add the sage leaves. Stir
fry for about a minute, then pour in the cider and deglaze the skillet,
scraping up any browned bits into the liquid, then pour over the
apples, onions and celery root. Stir to combine, sprinkle lightly with
salt and pepper, then place the baking dish in the oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Remove the pork from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels and
sprinkle generously with pepper. Wipe the skillet clean, then heat the
remaining 2 T. bacon fat in it over medium high heat. Brown the pork
well on all sides and then transfer it to the baking dish. Set the
skillet aside to make the cider sauce. Bake the pork until a meat
thermometer inserted halfway into it registers 150°. Baking time will
depend on the size and type of roast. If using pork chops, begin
checking them after 45 minutes; begin checking roasts after 1 hour, 15
minutes.
While the pork is roasting, make the cider sauce. When
the roast is done, remove from the oven. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes,
then slice. Spread the vegetable/apple mixture onto a large platter,
then top with the sliced pork. Drizzle with some of the cider sauce,
and pass the rest separately at the table. Garnish with sprigs of sage
leaves if desired. Serves 6.
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2010.
