Lynnette Knapp

Hello, my flamazing friends! I want to talk to you about a dinner that I recently made called “Glazed Pork Roast.” There were two optional glazes in this 1972 cooking pamphlet published by Consumer's Power and since we live near the “Cherry Capital” of Traverse City in beautiful Northern Michigan (so-called because the area around Traverse City produces 75% of the world’s tart cherries) this Christmas meal I made in 2020 we decided on the Cherry Glaze. There is a traditional Cranberry-Orange Glaze that I would like to try sooner or later, but for starters, I decided on this one.

Some of you may not have a clue what I am going on about and that is understandable. Some of you are just now stepping into this story and may need to catch up. Let’s begin with a bit of history. In 2020 we had to cancel our traditional Christmas dinner plans (going to the local Chinese restaurant) due to the pandemic lockdowns. Meanwhile, I found this old pamphlet-style cookbook from 1972 published by Consumer’s Power in my home state of Michigan. I was very excited to try the recipes in this book for Christmas and my husband bravely accepted the trial of shopping for all the things needed for the dinner. I planned the menu and we were off to the races!

If you are wondering why it has taken me this long to write about this meal, well, it has to do with this strange thing called Life. That and “procrastination.” Life is the biggest hurdle I face when it comes to appointments, health, the business of living, and all that jazz. One does not realize that time is running ahead of you until it lets go of your hand, tired of dragging you along. One morning, you wake up and realize that there are 31 Mondays until Christmas and how did we get here?

So, for those still holding on and feeling like this year has run you over and left you dazed on the sidelines, you have found a home here. This is where we seek simplicity, good food, and a break from the rush outside. In that spirit, we will continue with this rather simple and surprising little recipe. While this is a simple recipe the flavor is excellent and really livens up the pork roast. I love the cherry tones because they make me think of the beautiful groves this time of year in my neck of the woods. I may even make this roast during the upcoming Cherry Festival in Traverse City (which you can learn more about here).

So without further ado, here is the Cherry Glazed Pork Roast. Either a great Christmas dinner or homage to the cherry and Traverse City. Your choice!

Cherry Glaze

1 (12 oz) jar cherry preserve

2 tablespoons white corn syrup

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

And, finally, the guest of honor: A 4lb boneless pork loin roast, rolled

Directions:

Roast pork loin, fat side up, in a 325 oven until the thermometer reads 150, cover with the Cherry glaze and continue roasting until the temp reads 170.

The glaze you make in the first part of the roasting process so that it is ready to dress the roast when it reaches the desired temperature.

Place cherry preserve in a 1 ½ quart saucepan and stir in the remaining ingredients, leaving out the almonds. Save them for later. Cover and cook on low heat for about 4 minutes. Remove the cover, stir, and cook for 2 more minutes. Then you add the almonds. Spoon enough cherry almond glaze over the pork to coat it. When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining sauce over the pork roast for an impressive presentation. Serves 8-10.

This recipe really is fairly easy for those of us who hate to cook but comes out looking like a masterpiece. It’s great for any roasted meal on your social list. If possible, it might add something extra if you could get cherry preserves from a local farmer’s market, or even a family member that knows how to make their own preserves. Then, you could add the title “Aunt Mabel’s Cherry Pork Roast” and make it seem like an old, handed-down recipe instead of from a Consumer’s Powers pamphlet from 1972. I won’t tell!

If you’re new here check out my other Christmas Menu recipes like my Christmas Sandwich here, or Swiss Onion Pie here. Maybe you’re in the mood for a Berry coffee cake check out the Merry Berry Coffee Cake here.