Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust

Ingredients

• ¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
• 8 cups cold apple cider or juice
• ¾ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 large fennel bulb or 2 small bulbs, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
• + 7 more ingredients
• • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • One 4-lb. boneless pork loin roast (or two 2-lb. loins), trimmed only if it has a thick layer of fat
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed

Combine 2 cups of the apple cider or juice with the salt, brown sugar, garlic, and thyme in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring so the salt and sugar dissolve, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining apple cider or juice and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a lar...

View full recipe at Fine Cooking