Pork Roast with Dijon Glaze

Pork Roast with Dijon Glaze.

I’ve noticed that the seasons usually naturally influence what I choose to eat. For instance, this past summer I ate a lot of sweet fruity salads, but as we head more and more into fall I notice that the flavors change and I often go for something heavier, more hearty in taste. So it didn’t come as a surprise to me when I started to crave a traditional style pork roast. In my mind, nothing says autumn like a hearty roast. It was just coincidence that the butcher I frequent had a great deal on exactly what I was looking for. I picked myself up a nice cut and headed on my way to cook it fresh. There are various cuts of roast that you can get, but I am never too concerned with this and how it will affect the finished product. As long as it has a nice chunk of fat on it, you know it will turn out just great, tender and delicious. The only time the cut will actually matter much is if you are a technique cooker, looking for a very specific result.

You’ll notice from my previous meat recipes that I always stress the importance of having plenty of fat on whatever you are cooking. Nothing produces flavor better than the fat on the animal itself. You can see from one of the pictures here that the top of the roast is layered with it. I obviously want the flavors from the fat, but since this recipe calls for a great spice rub, I also want to make sure that the spices get through the fat to penetrate the meat. This is why I’ve made several cuts through the surface of the meat. Essentially, I have scored the top so that the flavors can penetrate throughout and this also makes the concept of basting the meat more effective during the cooking process.

The combination of spices that I’ve used for the rub creates for a real smoky Cajun taste. I find that the rub itself is quite strong, so the Dijon glaze add even more punch and depth of flavor to it. With that being said, the glaze is something you can do without if you so desire. Just completely eliminate it if you so choose.

Good quality Dijon mustards usually only contain good and healthy ingredients, but you can always make your own homemade mustard for this recipe.

This roast is great when served with roasted root vegetables like turnips, sweet potatoes or beets. These really complement the hearty and comfort food feeling of the roast itself and they also are a great source of safe starch.