Braised Pork Loin with Prunes and Port

• 1 x 4 lb. center cut pork loin

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 4 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 15 pitted prunes

• 1 cup Ruby Reserve Port

• 2 sprigs of sage

• 4 bay leaves

• 2 sprigs of thyme

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 4 whole cloves

• 2 tbsp each (heaping) Dijon mustard and brown sugar

• 1 cup chicken stock

• kosher salt and pepper

The morning you plan to make this meal, season the pork all over with kosher salt. Don’t worry, the dish won’t be salty. The presenting tenderizes the meat and through osmosis retains moisture within.

Heat the over to 375F. Place the sage, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves in a spice bag or cheesecloth. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large dutch oven till hot. Add the onions, garlic, 1/2 tsp. each kosher salt and pepper, turn the heat down to love and cook til the onions are soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Turn the heat back up to medium high. While the pot is heating up, pat the pork dry and smother all over with dijon and brown sugar. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the oil to the hot pot and sear the meat all over. Once seared, remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the meat to the pot and cover. Place in the heated oven and roast till the port registers 150F in the center. Remove the meat from the pot, place a cutting board covered with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Remove the spice bag from the sauce and season to taste. Slice pork and serve with sauce.