Holiday traditions are a great thing, but it’s also nice to break out with something different. This year, try one of these pork roasts and treat your guests to something unexpected.

The following recipes offer a nice range of flavors and includes various styles of stuffed pork loin, rubbed roasts, and slow-cooked pork. It also finishes up with something that will definitely add some zest to your dinner.

If you usually serve ham, then consider the fact that just one serving of roast ham has about 1500mg of sodium per 4-oz serving, and some can have over 3000mg per serving. The recipes we have here contain as little as 55 grams of sodium per serving without sacrificing taste or flavor.

We hope you enjoy your dinner and have a wonderful Easter!

Roast Leg of Pork with Glazed Dried Fruits

 

Fresh leg of pork is a richly-flavored roast that will let you feed a houseful of hungry guests effortlessly. Served with a mixture of dried apricots, apples and other fruits, the richness of this “wow them” centerpiece is balanced with a touch of sweetness.

Serves 10-13, with leftovers.

Ingredients

  • 15-20 pound bone-in leg of pork
  • 2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cup apple juice, OR orange juice
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tablespoons coarse brown mustard
  • 4 teaspoons orange zest, finely shredded
  • 2 9-oz packages dried figs, OR pitted dried plums (prunes)
  • 2 6-oz packages dried apricots, OR peaches
  • 1 6-oz package dried apples, OR dried pears
  • 1 cup dried cherries, OR cranberries
  • 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest, finely shredded

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pork on a rack in large shallow roasting pan. Roast for 3 1/2hours to five hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part reads 145 degrees F. (About 15 minutes per pound.)
  2. While pork is cooking, in a large bowl, combine wine, apple juice, honey, ginger, mustard and 4 teaspoons of orange peel. Add dried figs, apricots, pears and cranberries; stir to combine. Let stand while pork roasts, stirring occasionally.
  3. About 45 minutes before pork is done, remove from oven. Spoon off excess fat.
  4. Add fruit mixture to roasting pan and continue roasting until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. Remove roast from oven and cover with foil ; let rest about 10 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, combine parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon orange peel; set aside. Arrange pork and fruit on a serving platter. Sprinkle pork with parsley mixture.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 240
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 8 g
Sodium: 55 mg
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g

Genoa-Style Stuffed Pork Loin

 

This colorful stuffed roast makes a flavorful centerpiece to your next gathering. Treat your guests by serving this along side of sauteed vegetables and seasoned couscous.

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pound pork loin roast, boneless
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, blend together the fresh basil, 1 cup parsley, pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
  2. Mix together well the ground pork, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, milk, egg, remaining parsley and pepper.
  3. Butterfly pork loin by cutting through roast horizontally to within 1/4-inch of the other side. Do not cut all the way through. Open out to roughly a rectangle. Spread with the herb-cheese mixture and place the ground pork mixture along center of loin. Fold in half, tie; roast at 350 degrees F. for 1 1/2 hours (20 minutes per pound) until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. Remove roast from oven; let rest 10 minutes. Slice to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 471
Protein: 54 grams
Fat: 22 grams
Sodium: 459 milligrams
Cholesterol: 156 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 11 grams
Fiber: 1 grams

Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes, Pears and Rosemary

 

For a delicious alternative to the pears, substitute for a tart green apple, such as Granny Smith. Instead of rosemary alone, you could combine it with sage and thyme, for a slightly more complex flavor. Green vegetables should be simple and along the lines of sauteed green beans with toasted almonds, or steamed and sauteed Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts.

Yield: 12 (3-ounce) servings

Ingredients

  • 3-1/2 pound bone-in pork center loin roast, excess fat trimmed to thin layer*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped, plus more for serving (or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-1/2 pounds (6 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut lengthwise into sixths
  • 3 firm-ripe Bosc pears, cut lengthwise into quarters, cored
  • 1 (12-oz) bottle hard cider, **

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Rub pork all over with oil. Mix rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Rub all over pork.
  3. Place pork, bone side down, in large flameproof roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast 15 minutes more. Add sweet potatoes and pears to pan, stir gently to coat with pan juices, and spread as evenly as possible around roast. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast, occasionally stirring sweet potato mixture, until instant-read food thermometer inserted in center of roast reads 145 degrees F and the potatoes and pears are tender, about 1 hour more.
  5. Transfer pork to carving board. Transfer sweet potato mixture to ovenproof bowl, tent with aluminum foil, and keep warm in turned-off oven. (If needed, increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and continue roasting sweet potato mixture until tender, up to 15 minutes longer.) Let pork stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Heat roasting pan over high heat. Add cider, bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits in pan with wooden spoon, and boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour into sauce boat.
    Carve pork.
  7. Transfer to serving platter, surround with sweet potato mixture, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of cider sauce, and sprinkle with rosemary. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.*Tip: If you desire to tie the roast, cotton kitchen twine (also called butcher’s twine) is handy to have on hand for a number of chores, especially tying roasts to help them keep their shape during cooking. If you don’t have it, use unwaxed and unflavored dental floss.**Substitute 1 cup apple juice and 1/2 cup dry vermouth for the hard cider, or use all apple juice.
More from our magazine:  Answers to Common Seafood and Omega-3 Questions

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 250
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 5 g
Sodium: 85 mg
Cholesterol: 55 mg
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 29 g

Fruit-Stuffed Pork Loin with Dijon-Garlic Crust

 

This roast is simple enough for a Sunday supper with the family or elegant enough for entertaining. In either instance it is a snap to prepare. Dried fruit (pick seasonal favorites) create a colorful and immensely flavorful channel down the center of the roast. The mustard coating seals in the moisture creating a delicious crust. Arrange overlapping slices of the roast on a platter and serve with a seasonal vegetable.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless top loin pork roast, about 2 1/2 pounds
  • 3 ounces dried apricots, (about 14)
  • 5 ounces dried plums, about 16, pitted (prunes)
  • 1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

  1. Arrange an oven rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Stand the roast on its end and insert a thin-bladed knife down the center of the roast lengthwise, creating a tube-like opening. Stuff the length of the roast with the dried fruit, stacking a piece of apricot on top of a prune as you stuff it. (If necessary, cut a slit at the other end of the roast and stuff half the fruit from one side of the roast and half the fruit from the other side.)
  3. In a small bowl combine the mustard with the garlic powder and pepper. Rub the roast all over with the mustard mixture.
  4. Arrange the carrots, celery, and onion in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place the roast on top of the vegetables. Pour the wine over top and add up to 1/2 cup water to the pan. (The liquid should cover the bottom of the pan but be below the bottom of the roast.)
  5. Roast the pork, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F. (Insert the thermometer into the meat portion of the roast, keeping the tip away from the fruit.)
  6. Remove from the oven, transfer the roast to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest until temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 10 minutes. (Discard the vegetables and liquid in the pan.)

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 228
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 6 g
Sodium: 148 mg
Cholesterol: 70 mg
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 19 g

Spinach-Stuffed Pork Roast

 

Yield: 15 servings

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pound boneless double pork loin roast pork, rolled and tied
  • 1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs

Directions

  1. Untie roast and set aside. For stuffing, in skillet cook mushrooms, onion and red pepper in hot oil till onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread stuffing over one loin to within one inch of edges. Top with remaining loin. Tie securely with string. Place roast in shallow roasting pan.
  2. Roast in a 350 degree F. oven for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours, until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. Remove roast from oven; let rest about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 181
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 118 mg
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g

Roasted Pork Loin with Apples and Cinnamon

 

The trio of ginger-nutmeg-cinnamon will remind you of pumpkin pie. The spices and apples create a classic flavor that marries well with pork. Serve with baked sweet potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 pound boneless pork loin roast
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 apples, cored, peeled and sliced into wedges

Directions

  1. Rub pork loin with olive oil, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. In a small bowl, stir together the other half of the spices with the wine, honey, lemon juice and apple wedges.
  2. Roast pork in shallow pan in a 350 degrees F. oven for 40 minutes (20 minutes per pound), until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F.
  3. Remove roast from oven; let rest about 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, simmer apple mixture in a small saucepan until apples are tender; stir in any pork roast juices. Serve sliced roast with apples and sauce.
More from our magazine:  Asparagus Spring Fever

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 320
Protein: 33 g
Fat: 11 g
Sodium: 190 mg
Cholesterol: 85 mg
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 19 g

Mustard-Crusted Pork Roast

 

Simply elegant: Pork roast wearing a mustard-and-crunchy crumb coating. Serve with steamed broccoli spears and a green salad.

Serves 4-6, with leftovers

Ingredients

  • 2 pound boneless pork roast
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
  • 1 cup garlic croutons

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Season roast with salt and pepper; place in shallow pan and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place croutons in plastic bag, roll with rolling pin until crushed.
  3. Remove roast from oven; spread surface with mustard and sprinkle with crouton crumbs.
  4. Return to oven and continue to roast for 15-20 minutes longer, until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. Remove roast from oven; let rest about 10 minutes. Serving Suggestions:

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 165
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 6 g
Sodium: 190 mg
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g

Moroccan-Style Pork Shoulder Roast

 

Pork shoulder is cooked low and slow in this Moroccan-inspired dish.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 8 ounces baby sweet peppers, OR coarsely chopped and seeded sweet bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit mix, with apricots, plums and raisins
  • 1 (15-oz) can coconut milk, lite
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

  1. Trim visible fat from roast.
  2. Drizzle roast with soy sauce and rub all sides with curry.
  3. Brown roast in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven.
  4. Add remaining ingredients around the roast, cover with lid and place in a 350 degree F oven for 1-1/2-2 hours or until roast and potatoes are tender.
  5. Transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter.
  6. Return pan with sauce to stove top and bring to a boil, cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly.
  7. Coarsely shred meat and serve with sweet potatoes and peppers and sauce.
  8. Serve over cooked couscous, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 365
Protein: 31 g
Fat: 20 g
Sodium: 309 mg
Cholesterol: 105 mg
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g

Honey and Sage-Roasted Rack of Pork

 

Nothing is more memorable than the unexpected. This rack of pork is perfect for those large holiday gatherings. For serving, two roasts can be positioned with bones interlaced as in photo.

Yield: Serves 16

Ingredients

  • 2 (8-rib) pork loin racks, center cut, chine bone off (Frenched)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons fresh snipped sage

Directions

  1. Season pork racks with salt and pepper. Place each rack in roasting pans with bones facing up and sides not touching.
  2. Roast at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. (about 20 minutes per pound).
  3. Stir together honey and sage. Brush honey mixture onto roast after removing from oven. Let rest 10 minutes while internal temperature rises to 160 degrees F. before slicing to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 231
Protein: 31 g
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 95 mg
Cholesterol: 90 mg
Carbohydrates: 9 g

Herb-Crusted, Boneless Leg of Pork

 

A boneless fresh leg of pork is a welcome break from usual holiday fare. A simple rub of dried rosemary, sage and other herbs lends flavor and a touch of elegance to this easy roast.

Serves 8-10, with leftovers.

Ingredients

  • 3-1/2 to 4 pound boneless leg of pork, (fresh ham)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, OR vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, cracked
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, OR 1/4 teaspoon table salt

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Brush surface of pork with oil. In a small bowl, combine paprika, sage, rosemary, garlic, pepper and salt. Rub herb mixture over surface of pork.
  3. Place on rack in a shallow roasting pan.
  4. Roast for 1 hour (about 15 minusates per pound) or until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F.
  5. Remove roast from oven; let rest about 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 230
Protein: 31 g
Fat: 11 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Cholesterol: 100 mg
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 1 g

Peppered Pork Roast with Cherry Salsa

 

This is definitely an out-of-the-box choice for Easter — and we mean that in a good way.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

  • 3 pound boneless single loin pork roast
  • 2 tablespoons black pepper, coarsely ground
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt

Salsa Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons jalapeno chile, minced*
  • 1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
  • 1/3 cup red cherry jam
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped* Always wear rubber gloves when handling hot chiles.

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub pepper and garlic salt onto all surfaces of roast; place in a shallow pan and roast for 45-60 minutes (20 minutes per pound, until internal temperature reads 145 degrees F. Let roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  2. Meanwhile make the salsa, combine onion, green pepper, jalapeno, dried cherries, jam, vinegar and cilantro; mix well. (Can be made ahead up to one day; cover and refrigerate).
  3. Arrange sliced pork on a serving platter; dress with Cherry Salsa.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 420
Protein: 51 g
Fat: 13 g
Sodium: 430 mg
Cholesterol: 125 mg
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 26 g

Recipes and recipe images appear courtesy of the National Pork Board. Feature photo by RitaE (Deutschland) with here Samsung Nx20 Camera.