Last Updated March 10th, 2019 at 08:17 pm by Lisa
With an easy 10-minute prep, this festive Cherry Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin serves a large crowd and is perfect for entertaining, special occasions, or the holidays!
One of my favorite ways to entertain for a large dinner party is to serve an elegant beautiful pork loin. This Cherry Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin happens to be my favorite pork loin recipe. It is easy to make and a crowd-pleaser… how can you argue with that?
Why You Will Love Cherry Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin
- All the positives of pork loin: They slice easily, are inexpensive, and are so delicious!
- Easy ingredients: All the ingredients for this recipe are easy to find, and can easily be purchased ahead and stocked in the pantry or freezer. That makes this even easier when it comes time for your party.
- Perfect for holidays, parties, or any time of the year: The cherries, rosemary, and oranges definitely say holidays, but this roasted pork loin is perfect to serve year-round.
- The flavor: Cherries, balsamic, rosemary (optional but definitely recommended), and oranges are a heavenly flavor combination!
Ingredients Needed to Make This Cherry Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin Recipe
I love how easily sourced all of these ingredients are. Keep them on hand in your kitchen and whip up this pork loin recipe when you need to impress in a hurry!
- 4-lb pork loin
Cherry balsamic glaze ingredients:
- 1 cup finely chopped brown onion
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 oz cherry preserves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 16 oz. bag frozen cherries pitted
Optional garnish:
- rosemary sprigs
- fresh or dried orange slices
How to Make Roasted Pork Loin with a Cherry-Balsamic Glaze
Here is how to make this roasted pork loin recipe:
Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Step 2: Trim pork loin of fat, and lay in a shallow roasting pan (metal or ceramic). Pat dry pork loin using paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Roast pork loin in the oven for 30 minutes to get the beautiful color on your roast.
Meanwhile, make the cherry pork glaze:
Step 4: Mix chopped onion, balsamic vinegar, cherry preserves, allspice, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and frozen cherries in a medium bowl. Set aside.
TIP: This can be done ahead and kept in fridge.
Step 5: After 30 minutes, pull pork loin from oven, and pour cherry glaze on the roast and around the pan, and finish roasting about 30 minutes more. (Cooking time is 60 minutes total).
Step 6: Transfer pork to platter. Let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve warm with cherry pan sauce.
TIP: For a thicker cherry sauce, pour cherry sauce from sheet pan in a small saucepan and heat on low.
Six steps to this delicious roasted pork!
Are Cherries Healthy For You?
Did you know cherries have more antioxidants than blueberries? There are lots of health benefits of cherries, including:
- Antioxidants (good for us in a variety of ways!)
- Improved sleep thanks to the high melatonin content
- Lower blood pressure thanks to cherries’ high potassium content
- Lowering cancer risk because of a unique combination of valuable nutrients
- Weight loss due to the anthocyanin content which help increase metabolism and decrease fat storage
Wow, who knew?
What is the Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?
A pork loin is thick, producing hearty pieces when sliced, and is sourced from the back rib cage area of a pig. Pork loin is also what is used to make Canadian bacon!
A pork tenderloin is much thinner and is sourced from the central spine portion of the pig. Its tenderness comes from the usage of the muscles: they’re used for posture, not movement.
How Long Do You Cook a Pork Loin in the Oven?
For this recipe, I cooked a 4-lb pork loin for 60 minutes at 425° F.
According to The National Pork Board, you can cook whole boneless pork loin at 350° F for 8-11 minutes per lb.
What Temperature Should a Pork Loin Be Cooked To?
Again according to The National Pork Board, boneless pork loin should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°-160° F as measured by a digital cooking thermometer. They stress that “pork today is very lean and shouldn’t be overcooked,” which is why a digital cooking thermometer is so useful!
More Easy Entertaining and Holiday Recipes
Entertaining is all about spending time with friends and family and not being stuck in the kitchen! Here are some of my favorite easy entertaining and holiday recipes:
- Pork Loin Pulled Pork: Oven Roasted Low and Slow: This popular recipe is ideal to feed a crowd. From it, you can make delicious tacos, enchiladas, pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, or “totchos”! This is a perfect game day dish.
- Ina Garten’sRoasted Lemon Chicken: Another wonderful entertaining dish or wholesome family night dinner.
- Dinner Rolls (Pull Apart Bread): These dinner rolls have something for everyone! Add a variety of toppings and let guests choose their favorite flavor.
- Festive Holiday Cheese Balls: So easy to make and so fun to serve!
Wishing you many celebrations in your home filled with laughter and love…and cheers to easy elegant entertaining!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
- 4 lb pork loin
- Cherry Balsamic Glaze:
- 1 cup finely chopped brown onion
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 oz cherry preserves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 16 oz. bag frozen cherries pitted
- rosemary sprigs
- fresh or dried orange slices
-
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
-
Trim pork loin of fat, and lay in a shallow roasting pan (metal or ceramic). Pat dry pork loin using paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-
Roast pork loin in the oven for 30 minutes to get beautiful color on your roast.
-
Mix chopped onion, balsamic vinegar, cherry preserves, allspice, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and frozen cherries in a medium bowl. Set aside. (This can be done ahead and kept in fridge).
-
After 30 minutes, pull pork loin from oven, and pour cherry glaze on the roast and around the pan, and finish roasting about 30 minutes more. (Cooking time is 60 minutes total).
-
Transfer pork to platter. Let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve warm with cherry pan sauce.
Could this be easier and come out more amazing? I’m not the most coordinated cook so this recipe makes me pretty happy. It is dinner party worthy and did not cause me dinner party stress. The glaze makes the dish, as does the super easy but totally amazing and rustic presentation.
This pork loin is so flavorful and wonderfully moist! I pinned it for later!
I will definitely try this recipe! Have one question: I’ve been told to tie the loin with string, apparently it keeps the juices in.
Is this something I should do here? I’m not an expert and would appreciate your response. Thank you!
Hello Joyce! Oh I am so glad you like it…I love this recipe because it is easy for entertaining, and honestly I never tie the pork roast! Just know when you shop for your pork (I often get mine a Costco) they are large! Pork Tenderloins are thinner and small, while a pork loin is wide enough that you can cut large steak-like pieces from the whole roast. Just read the label! Good luck, and let us know how the recipe turns out!