Marinated Pork Roast with Bourbon-Lemon Glaze

PG tested

After roasting the pork, while it rested, I cooked down the pan juices to serve as a sauce. Mr. Villas says that this roast doesn't need gravy. It didn't, but it didn't hurt. It was one fabulous meal.

• 4-pound boneless pork loin, tied at several intervals with white kitchen string
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
• 2 teaspoons dried
• rosemary, crumbled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry vermouth
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup sugar

With sharp paring knife, make deep slits all over loin; insert slivers of garlic into slits. Season meat all over with rosemary, salt and pepper. Place in large, shallow baking dish, pour vermouth around edges, cover and marinate in refrigerator about 2 hours, turning several times.

Preheat oven to 450. Remove loin from marinade, pat dry with paper towels. Discard marinade. Position on rack in large roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325; continue roasting about 45 minutes, basting with pan juices. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir lemon juice, bourbon and sugar until sugar dissolves.

Remove pork from oven, carefully spoon off fat (I had little fat). Spoon bourbon mixture over pork and roast about 45 minutes longer, basting frequently, until roast is glossy brown.

Transfer roast to serving platter, remove strings and let stand about 10 minutes before carving into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Makes 6 or 8 servings.

-- Adapted from "Pig, King of the Southern Table," by James Villas (Wiley, 2010, $34.95).

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