Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze

This Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze is festive enough to serve your family and friends over the holidays, but you’ll never have to tell your guests just how easy it was to make. That can be our little secret! 

One of my favorite ways to ensure tenderness when it comes to cooking a protein (almost any type), is to first give the meat a little splash of balsamic vinegar, and then let it sit for about 20 minutes before cooking.

That’s my trick, and it’s one that lends a tenderness (and slight sweetness) to this recipe for Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze. While this glazed pork roast is very festive to serve during the holiday season, it would also be utterly delicious in the summer when cooked on the grill.

**Please Note – The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze is available near the end of this post. 

The ingredient list;

• 3 – 3½ pound pork roast
• red onion
• Granny Smith apple
• balsamic vinegar
• whole berry cranberry sauce, store-bought or homemade
• fresh thyme, rosemary, sage
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• fresh cranberries for garnish, optional

Why use vinegar in a pork roast recipe?

As I mentioned earlier, I use balsamic vinegar often when it comes to adding flavor and to tenderize cuts of meat. It works like a charm. I’ve used the method many times. Another ingredient I also like to use is apple cider vinegar to tenderize proteins. However, the apple cider vinegar doesn’t lend the touch of sweetness that a balsamic vinegar will.

The easy to follow step-by-step photo tutorial;

Dinner will be on the table in a little over an hour!

• Place one sliced red onion, one sliced granny smith apple, whole fresh sage leaves, and several sprigs of fresh rosemary in the bottom of a roasting pan.
• Place a 3 – 3½ pork roast on top of the onions, apples, and herbs, fat side up.
• Pour ½ cup of balsamic vinegar evenly over the entire roast.  
• Allow the roast to sit for at least 20 minutes on the counter. 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Liberally season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Top the roast with additional fresh rosemary sprigs, and some fresh thyme.
• Place the roast in the oven (on the center rack) for approximately 60 minutes.
• Remove the roast from the oven and top evenly with a can of whole berry cranberry sauce.
• Return the roast back into the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140 degrees (approximately 30 additional minutes).
• Remove the roast and cover with foil.
• Allow the meat to rest at least 10 minutes before placing the roast on a serving platter and slicing to your desired thickness.

Since pork can sometimes be dry, using the balsamic vinegar along with the topping of the cranberry relish makes each slice of this Christmas Pork Roast so juicy and delectable that a knife is almost optional! 

Other recipe examples of using vinegar as a marinade for proteins;

The following recipes are two delicious examples of both of these methods. The first uses the balsamic vinegar to impart a touch of sweetness, and the second uses apple cider vinegar to give a bit of tartness. Both methods tenderize the proteins, making them juicy and succulent.

• Better Than Brined Balsamic Herbed Butter Roast Turkey

• Mouth Watering Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs

**The following Amazon.com items are some suggested products I’ve chosen that will aid you in the making (and serving) of this recipe for Balsamic Herbed Pork Loin with Cranberry Relish Glaze if needed.

By clicking on the item, you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com if you’re interested in purchasing any of these products. You are in no way required to do so, and you will not be charged in any way unless you decide to purchase a product through Amazon.

On the off chance that you have any leftovers this Glazed Pork Roast makes the best sandwiches! Might I suggest adding a thick slice (or two) on a kaiser roll with a touch of mayonnaise, a little mustard, and add a big appetite!

Open wide!! 🙂

Below is the printable recipe card for today’s Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze. If you’ve enjoyed this recipe and look forward to making it (or have already made it), I’d appreciate if you’d take a moment to give it some feedback by way of stars near the comment section at the end of this post. Thank you so much!

4.12 from 9 votes

Print

Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

2 hrs

 

This Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze is festive enough to serve your family and friends over the holidays. But, you'll never have to tell your guests just how easy it was to make. That can be our little secret!

Course: Main Course, pork roast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Christmas Pork Roast, cranberry glazed pork roast

Servings: 8

Calories: 260 kcal

Renee - Kudos Kitchen: Renée - Kudos Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 - 3 - 3½ pound boneless pork roast
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1 Granny Smith apple cored and sliced
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 8 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 15 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
• Additional fresh herbs for garnish optional
• Fresh cranberries for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place the sliced apples, onions and some of the fresh herbs in the bottom of the roasting pan, reserving some of the fresh herbs for later.
3. Place the pork roast on top of the onions and apples, fat side up.
4. Pour the balsamic vinegar evenly over the roast.
5. Allow the roast to rest for at least 20 minutes.
6. Season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
7. Add a few additional rosemary and thyme sprigs on top of the roast.

8. Place the roast into the preheated oven (center rack) and roast for 60 minutes.

9. Remove the roast from the oven and cover the top of the roast evenly with the whole berry cranberry sauce.

10. Return the roast to the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 140 degrees (approximately an additional 30 minutes).

11. Remove the roast from the oven, and cover with foil.
12. Allow the roast to sit for at least 10 minutes before placing it on a serving platter and slicing to your desired thickness.

13. Garnish with fresh cranberries and additional fresh herbs if desired.

14. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tools and equipment:

1 roasting pan, aluminum foil, measuring cup, chef's knife, cutting board, meat thermometer

Nutrition Facts

Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 260 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 107mg36%

Sodium 669mg29%

Potassium 717mg20%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 38g76%

Vitamin A 90IU2%

Vitamin C 3.9mg5%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed today’s recipe for Christmas Pork Roast with Cranberry Relish Glaze as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing it to you!

I’m coordinating this delicious pork roast recipe with one of my very favorite hand painted aprons from one of my very favorite celebrity chef’s of all time, Julia Child. 

Should you have any questions regarding this recipe or anything else you’ve seen on my site, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly or leave me a comment in the comment section below. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back to you with a reply just as soon as I possibly can!

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Kudos Kitchen by Renée ~ Cooking up artistically delicious family-friendly dishes from my Kudos Kitchen to yours!

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

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