Elderberry-Glazed Roast Pork with Root Vegetables
Pork loin lacquered in a tart elderberry tea glaze with thyme and balsamic, roasted over caramelized root vegetables for a cozy cold-weather dinner.
Elderberry tea makes a gorgeous savory glaze. Its tart, dark-fruit concentration behaves like a berry gastrique, cutting through the richness of pork while painting it a deep, glossy purple-brown. Think of it as a cousin to a classic blackberry or cherry glaze.
The key is brewing the elderberry extra strong—always from cooked berries, never raw—and reducing it with balsamic vinegar, a little honey, and thyme into a sticky lacquer. This transforms the berry tartness into a balanced sweet-sour coating that clings to the meat.
Roasting root vegetables underneath the pork lets them soak up the elderberry pan juices. Carrots, parsnips, and red onion caramelize on the edges while taking on a subtle jammy fruitiness from the glaze that drips down.
Serve this with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It's a comforting one-pan roast that looks impressive yet leans on a simple tea reduction for its signature flavor.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg pork loin
- 3 cups strong elderberry tea (4 tbsp dried cooked elderberries or 4 tea bags in 3 cups water)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 parsnips, cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, quartered
- Salt and pepper
How to make it
- 1Brew elderberry tea extra strong and reduce 3 cups to about 3/4 cup in a saucepan over medium heat (about 12 minutes). Stir in balsamic, honey, and thyme; simmer until syrupy.
- 2Season the pork loin all over with salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. Let it sit 15 minutes.
- 3Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss carrots, parsnips, and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a roasting pan.
- 4Set the pork on top of the vegetables and brush generously with half the elderberry glaze.
- 5Roast for 50–60 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F).
- 6Rest the pork 10 minutes, then slice. Drizzle with the remaining glaze and serve with the roasted vegetables.
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