Apple Cider Pork Loin

Pork loin can dry out in the slow cooker. The pork will be juicier if you let it cool completely in the pan juices before you remove it and slice it. Return the slices to the pan juices when you reheat it. Serve the loin with the cider sauce ladled over the slices.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (4-pound) pork loin
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 4 cups unsweetened applesauce
• Optional: 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

1. Trim any fat from the pork loin.
2. Add the mustard, thyme, and brown sugar to a bowl; mix it to make a paste and then rub it into the pork loin.
3. Add the cider and then the loin to the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce over the loin. If using, add the onion slices in a layer on top of the applesauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the internal temperature of the loin is 160°F. If serving immediately, remove the pork loin, cover it to keep warm, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before you slice it into servings. Skim any fat from the surface of the cider-applesauce sauce from the slow cooker and then ladle it over the slices.

Sauced-Up Applesauce

To add an extra kick to the pan juices from the Apple Cider Pork Loin recipe, stir in 3 tablespoons of prepared horseradish and 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.