Bacon-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caraway Cabbage and Apples

We have been cooking recipes from a new cookbook for us: Dining In by Alison Roman. The recipes are easy and good. What more could you want? Bacon-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caraway Cabbage and Apples is a fantastic dish. The hardest part was wrapping the Pork with Bacon. I figured out that I should lay the bacon down first then wrap the pork loins. That made it very easy. We used tooth picks to keep the bacon attached the pork. At the end vinegar is added to the cabbage and potatoes making for a perfect accompaniment when served. We purchased the pork loins at McCall's Meat and Fish. I LOVED this dinner.

Bacon-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caraway Cabbage and Apples

Dining In

Alison Roman

Serves 4

1-1/2   pounds pork tenderloin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

5          bacon strips

4          garlic doves, smashed

1          small or 1/2 medium head red cabbage, cut into eighths

2          medium apples, such as Cortland or Honeycrlsp, quartered (I don't mind the core, but remove
it if you do)

2          teaspoons caraway seed
2    tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2      tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

note: This can be done with a number of vegetables if cabbage is not your thing; fennel, turnips, carrots, or parsnips would all be great.

My enthusiasm for all things cabbage related ; shows no bounds. As uncool as it is, fermented, shredded, braised, seared, or roasted, cabbage has a crisp, hearty texture and kind of funky flavor that I just cannot get enough of. While wildly versatile, and I shouldn't pick favorites, cabbage when roasted in lots of garlicky pork fat until lightly charred around the edges might be my favorite way to eat it. Don't tell kimchi.

To make sure you've got well-roasted cabbage, caramelized apples, crispy bacon on the outside, and juicy, medium-rare pork on the inside, buy the thickest tenderloin you can find. A thinner piece will likely overcook by the time everything else has had a chance to properly do its thing.

1.  Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2.  Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper and wrap it in the bacon, tucking the ends so that they stay put. Place the garlic, cabbage, apples, and caraway seed in a large baking dish or cast- iron skillet and drizzle everything with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

3.  Nestle the pork in the center of the dish and roast it on the top rack until the bacon is crisped and the pork is cooked through but still a nice medium-rare (145°F), 30 to 35 minutes.

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4.  Transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinegar and serve alongside the pork.