Pork Roast with Cider Jus

Serves: 6 to 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 pork roast, thawed, packaging removed, patted dry

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

6 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped, stems reserved separately

1 cup apple cider (nonalcoholic)

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tbs. butter, chilled

Method

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Let pork sit at room temperature while oven preheats.
2. On center of 13×9 baking pan, mound onions, celery, and thyme stems. Coat pork with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork atop mound of veggies. Roast 30 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F. Continue to roast pork until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork reads 140°F, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pork to carving board and rest 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, discard veggies from baking pan and, using paper towel, blot off accumulated fat on base of dish. While pan is hot, pour cider into pan and scrape up any browned bits.
5. Strain cider jus into small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, or until reduced by three-fourths. Add broth and simmer 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Remove from heat, whisk in butter, and season jus with salt and pepper.
6. Carve pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with jus and thyme leaves.