Cider Brined Roast Pork Tenderloin

Roast pork for the beginning of autumn. How wonderful.

Ingredients:

Brine:

3 cups apple cider

2 cups water

1/4 cup kosher salt (a small handful)

1/4 cup brown sugar (a small handful)

2 teaspoons dried sage

4 or 5 whole black peppercorns

Pork:

1 (1.5 pound) pork tenderloin

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup water

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon chopped shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup apple cider

½ cup vegetable broth

2 Tablespoons corn starch dissolved in ¼ cup water

1 Tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Brine: Bring all the brine ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Boil for about 5 minutes or until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Pork: Place the tenderloin in a large zip top bag and pour the brine over it. Seal and allow to marinate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the pork from the brine, discarding the brine. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and place in a roasting dish. Coat all sides with butter and place the 1 cup of water in the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for about 35-45 minutes. Check for an internal temperature of 155 in the thickest part of the tenderloin. Remove from the oven, place the tenderloin on a plate, cover with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes while you make the sauce.

Sauce: Put the roasting pan on top of the stove (after you have removed the tenderloin) and add the shallots to the pan juices. If there aren’t enough pan juices, you may want to add a Tablespoon or 2 of the broth here.  Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until the shallot is softened and then add the mustard, cider and the remaining broth. Bring to a boil and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the Tablespoon of butter. Remove the sauce from heat. Let cool slightly and then taste and adjust seasonings by adding salt and/or pepper.

Slice the pork into ½ inch thick slices and serve with the sauce.