Herbed Pork and Apples

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 pounds pork loin roast
• 4 tart apples – peeled, cored, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice
• 2/3 cup real maple syrup

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, salt and pepper. Rub over roast. Cover, and refrigerate roast for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Place roast in a shallow roasting pan, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain fat.

In a medium bowl, mix apples and onion with brown sugar. Spoon around roast, and continue to cook for 1 hour more, or until the internal temperature of the roast is 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Transfer the roast, apples and onion to a serving platter, and keep warm.

To make the gravy, skim excess fat from meat juices. Pour drippings into a medium heavy skillet. Stir in apple juice and syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until liquid has been reduced by half, about 1 cup. Slice the roast, and serve with gravy.