Nitrate & Nitrite Free Apple Cider Roast Pork Loin
Pork roast done right is one of those meals that feels like a special occasion even on a Tuesday, and this one delivers with serious depth of flavor. The loin gets rubbed with coconut oil and a warm spice blend — thyme, rosemary, ginger, turmeric, and a touch of Ceylon cinnamon — then roasted over a bed of apple wedges, onion, and garlic that slowly caramelizes in a braising liquid of unfiltered apple cider, bone broth, and honey. The result is juicy, fragrant meat with a pan sauce that tastes like it took all day. For anyone navigating processed meat concerns, this recipe is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients — no cured products, no packaged seasonings with hidden additives, just a fresh pork loin and a pantry you can actually read. The braising liquid does double duty, keeping the roast moist while transforming into a glossy, apple-forward sauce thickened with arrowroot starch. Every component is clean and straightforward, which makes it easy to feel confident about what's on the table. The braised apples and onions that come out of the pan are practically a side dish on their own — soft, savory-sweet, and absolutely worth spooning over every slice.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the pork
- 2 ½ lb boneless pork loin roast
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
For the roasting pan
- 3 medium apples (such as honeycrisp or fuji), cored and cut into 1-inch wedges
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
For the braising liquid
- 1 cup unfiltered apple cider (not hard cider)
- 1 cup bone broth
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
For the pan sauce
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 2 tbsp cold water
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the pork loin completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, dried thyme, dried rosemary, ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon. Rub the coconut oil all over the pork, then press the spice mixture evenly onto all sides.
- 2
Scatter the apple wedges, onion wedges, smashed garlic, and fresh thyme sprigs across the bottom of a large roasting pan or oven-safe skillet. Pour the apple cider, bone broth, apple cider vinegar, and honey over the apples and onions, and stir briefly to combine.
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