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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Pork loin is an excellent cut of meat that is sadly underutilized in most home kitchens because of how easy it is to accidentally overcook. Luckily, this recipe makes it easy to cook up a juicy, delicious pork loin!

Pork loin is one of the best cuts of pork there is, but it can be a bit of a pain to figure out how to cook it to perfection. With a little bit of homemade apple butter, though, it can be super easy, as well as incredibly delicious!

Make sure that you make your very own Apple Butter for this recipe to really give it an extra kick of deliciousness. You could also make your own Homemade Seasoned Salt as well!

A fork is stuck into a slice of cooked pork on a white plate, served with chunks of carrots and potatoes. The dish is garnished with chopped herbs, and a white napkin is nearby.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This recipe is easy to make and comes together in one roasting pan in the oven!
Total Time: You will need to set aside 50 minutes to make this recipe, but don’t worry! Most of that is cooking time.
Variations: You don’t have to roast your pork loin alongside vegetables; instead, consider serving it alongside mashed or roasted potatoes, creamed spinach, or roasted garlic parmesan brussels sprouts! With a main this delicious, just about any side will do!
Tools For This Recipe: You will need a large roasting pan and a basting brush to make this recipe! For cooking precision, consider investing in an instant read thermometer to make sure that your pork loin is done all the way through!

A white oval plate with a cooked pork roast, two slices cut, surrounded by roasted carrots, potatoes, and onions on a white surface. Plates and forks are visible in the background.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Pork Loin: You’ll want a 2-3 pound, boneless pork loin roast to serve 6 as indicated in this recipe! If you get it from your local butcher, you can always ask them to tie it up for you to really make sure that it cooks evenly, as pork loins can be long tapered in shape, which makes keeping the cook consistent difficult.

Apple Juice and Apple Butter: Used in tandem, the apple juice and apple butter add moisture and a lovely sweetness to your pork tenderloin! Apples and pork are a classic pairing—try making your own apple butter to make this dish even more delicious!

A top-down view of ingredients on a white surface: raw pork, chopped potatoes, carrot sticks, onion wedges, spices, apple sauce, mustard, oil, and brown paste in separate bowls.

Seasonings: Brown sugar adds a succulent sweetness, and warming spices like cloves and cinnamon add a fantastic fall flavor to your roast. For a personally customized dining experience, consider blending your own seasoning salt!

Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions: You can always roast your pork loin by itself and make other side dishes on the stovetop while its roasting, but for the best bang for your buck, consider roasting vegetables alongside your pork loin! Not only will they help insulate the meat to keep it from drying out while it roasts, your veggies will pick up lots of lovely flavor from the apple juice and drippings from the pork!

How To Make Apple Butter Pork Loin

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A seasoned pork roast sits in a black roasting pan, surrounded by bowls of chopped carrots, potatoes, onions, sauces, and spices on a white marble surface.

A seasoned meatloaf with sauce sits in a black roasting pan, surrounded by bowls of chopped carrots, onions, potatoes, and a small container of oil on a white marble surface.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Pat your pork roast with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then rub the seasoning salt into all sides of your roast. Place the tenderloin in the bottom of a large roasting pan.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the apple butter, brown sugar, cloves and cinnamon together. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if you need to thin the mixture a bit so it can be spread over the roast, but don’t dilute it so much that it runs off as you coat the tenderloin.
Place a selection of your desired vegetables around the roast (optional).
Pour the apple juice into the bottom of the roaster, making sure not to pour it directly over the roast. Put the roast in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 300°F—do not open the door! Let the roast continue to cook for 20-25 minutes per pound of meat, until the internal temperature reaches 140°F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the centre of the roast. Remove from the oven and cover with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

A cooked meatloaf with a brown crust, partially sliced, served on a white plate with chunks of potatoes and carrots around it.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Apple Butter Pork Loin

Temp Talk: Whenever cooking larger pieces of meat, there’s always the fear that you’ll undercook it and risk making your dinner guests ill. The best way to avoid problems with large pieces of meat is to invest in a good instant-read thermometer. They might seem a little pricy initially, but they’re absolutely worth the money. The USDA recommends pork should be cooked to at least 145°F, so when your pork is starting to look and smell like it might be done, take it out of the oven and test the internal temperature of thickest part of the loin with your thermometer. If it reads at least 145°F, you’re good! If no, pop the pork loin back into the oven for a little longer.
A Cut Above: If you choose to add vegetables to your pork loin while it’s cooking, the easiest way to make sure that they cook evenly is to cut each vegetable to a consistent size. For example, carrots and potatoes cook best when cut into chunks that are no wider than 1/2 an inch. If you have two very different vegetables that you really want to use—such as celery, which becomes tender quickly, and potatoes, which take longer—add the one that takes longer to cook to the roast first, then add the other vegetables that need less cooking time later to make sure they don’t overcook and become mushy.

A fork holds a bite of roasted pork and sliced potatoes garnished with herbs, with a plate of sliced pork, potatoes, and carrots on a table in the background.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: You can store leftover roasted pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you have leftover roasted vegetables, keep them in a separate airtight container—they’ll keep for up to five days! Reheat in the microwave in 1 minute bursts.

Freezer: Leftover roasted pork will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or well-sealed zip top bag. For the best results, freeze your roasted vegetables on a parchment-lined baking sheet and make sure that there’s space between the veggies. Once they’re frozen, you can move them to a zip top bag and keep them for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat your pork and vegetables, defrost them in the fridge overnight and bring them up to temperature in a skillet over medium low heat, or in the microwave!

More Delicious Pork Recipes

Looking for a main with a little extra kick? Give my Pork Rib Roast a try for your next weekend get-together!
My recipe for Pork Butt Roast / Boston Butt Roast with Mushroom Gravy is a perfect crock pot meal!
Give my Rosemary Garlic Parmesan Pork Tenderloin a try for an easy, delicious, and sophisticated main dish to serve to friends and family!

I love the tradition of a Sunday roast, and this recipe makes a delicious, warming, and convenient weekend meal! It’s just so special to put something in the oven to cook that will fill the house with delicious smells that’ll have the whole household eager to sit down and share!

Give this recipe a try and let me know what your favorite sides for a roast are in the comments below!

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn