Mustard-glazed pork pot roast with apples and carrots

Name: Mustard-glazed pork pot roast with apples and carrots
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: about 1.8kg pork loin roast, rind (or skin) removed; 1 onion, peeled and sliced finely; 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias; 2 baking apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 pieces; 8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped; 8 sage sprigs, leaves picked and chopped; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard; black pepper; ½ cup dry white wine; mashed potatoes, to serve

Danielle Alvarez

June 6, 2025

Serve the pork on a bed of the roasted apple, onion and carrot.William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

A pot roast seems a bit retro, but I vote to bring it back. In this dish, which couldn’t be simpler, a handsome pork roast is browned and then slathered with brown sugar, mustard and herbs, before being roasted on a bed of carrots and apples; your oven does all the work. It’s special enough to have people over for but also simple enough to make on a weeknight.

The only trick to avoiding a dry, over-cooked pork loin is buying a roast that has a good fat cap on it and cooking it until it’s just done. A temperature probe is essential.

Ingredients

about 1.8kg pork loin roast, rind (or skin) removed
1 onion, peeled and sliced finely
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
2 baking apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 pieces
8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
8 sage sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
mashed potatoes, to serve

Method

Step 1
Ask your butcher to remove the rind from the pork roast or use a sharp knife to do it yourself while keeping as much fat on the pork as possible. Score the fat in a diamond-shaped pattern to allow it to render better.
Step 2
Season your roast with salt and keep it refrigerated for several hours or overnight. Bring it to room temperature before cooking. If short on time, season it and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Preheat your oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
Step 4
Take a large cast-iron pot or dutch oven and place it on the stove. Place the pork in the pot, fat side down, and place the pot over medium-high heat. Fry the fat side of the roast until it begins to brown, then flip it over and brown the other side really well. Then remove it from the pot and place on a nearby tray or plate.
Step 5
Add the onion, carrots and apples to the pot and cook them in the pork fat until they soften and begin to brown.
Step 6
In a small mixing bowl, combine the thyme and sage with the brown sugar and mustard. Rub this paste all over the browned pork roast and crack lots of black pepper over the whole thing.
Step 7
When the vegies have begun to caramelise, add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol and reduce a little. Place the pork roast, fat side up, on top of the vegetables and place the whole thing in your preheated oven, uncovered.
Step 8
Probe the meat in the thickest part after 45 minutes to see how it’s tracking. When the internal temperature reads 65C and the meat is nicely browned, it’s ready. You may need to cook it a further 10-15 minutes if it’s not to temperature yet.
Step 9
Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the roasted vegies and apples, pan juices and mash.