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Quick Savory Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin Roast

This simple, 1-hour roast is our favorite Christmas dish and voted most likely to be served if the President were to drop in for dinner- LOL! I love serving this entree because it causes me NO stress and everyone raves over it. While the pork is roasting, make another batch of the cranberry glaze to serve in a gravy boat alongside the sliced pork roast. For food safety, the new batch should not be prepared in same pan as the first if you have been basting directly out of the saucepan. If you basted out of another dish, you can use the same pan.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 4323 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan For preparing the glaze
  • 1 Large Roasting Pan For baking the pork loin
  • 1 Pastry Brush For coating and basting the pork
  • 1 Instant-Read Meat Thermometer Essential for accurate doneness
  • 1 Whisk For combining glaze ingredients

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 14.5 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 1 cup apple jelly
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 cubes chicken bouillon crushed
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 4 pound boneless pork loin roast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Combine the cranberry sauce, apple jelly, mustard, crushed bouillon, horseradish, garlic powder, and thyme in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
  • Line a large baking pan with foil. Place pork loin in pan, fat side up. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Use a pastry brush and a small spoon to completely coat the pork with sauce.
  • Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with remaining sauce.

Notes

For an enhanced flavor profile, consider searing the pork loin on all sides in a hot pan with a touch of oil before transferring it to the roasting pan. This develops a rich Maillard crust. The internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) is crucial for a tender, juicy result; always use an accurate instant-read thermometer. Once cooked, rest the pork for at least 10-15 minutes tented with foil to allow juices to redistribute. When preparing the extra glaze for serving, ensure it's made in a separate, clean saucepan to prevent cross-contamination from the basting process. For a deeper flavor, use fresh thyme in both the glaze and a sprinkle over the finished roast. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by reducing it further if a thicker sauce is desired.