Hello! How was your weekend! Ours was perfect. Ben and I took our annual trip to Carter Mountain Orchard for apple picking! The weather was gorgeous, the kids were out in full swing, and the apple cider doughnuts were warm and doughy as usual! We ended up picking about 35 Winesap and Stayman apples (I always go for those two because we can’t always get them here in Durham and they’re my favorite!). The Winesaps were abundant but most of them were pretty high up there, so good thing I have a 6’4″ husband with a wingspan that can reach any stubborn apple! The Staymans were a little slim pickins’ this year and required some tree shimmying on my part. Looking back, I probably broke some rules… but it’s all part of the fun!
On the trip home I was already thinking about what to make with all these apples. Last year I made Harvest Apple Spice Cake and just ate the rest! These apples are so good on their own, I almost hate to chop them up for a recipe! But this year I was sure what to do. Carter Mountain has a country store with all sorts of little souvenirs, home decorations, and jams and jellies. I usually pick up a bunch of jam for Christmas gifting. This year I was also tempted by an assortment of fruit salsas that they had on display. But before coughing up an extra $7.99 a piece, I said to myself, “I can make this!”
What does apple salsa go better with than pork? I made a similar pork tenderloin for a party last year and it was a major hit. I tweaked the recipe a bit this time and made a bigger batch of apple salsa in the crock pot, figuring I’d freeze some for later on this winter.
Serve the pork with more salsa, potatoes, and vegetable du jour! Happy harvesting!
- For the Pork:
- 3 lb pork tenderloin
- 2 tbsp butter
- Goat cheese (optional)
- 1 cup apple salsa (see recipe below)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- For the apple salsa:
- 6 medium apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 ripe pear, chopped
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp apricot brandy
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins
- Prepare Pork:
- Butterfly open the pork tenderloin. Spread apple salsa (see recipe below) over the top of the bottom layer, followed by slices of goat cheese. Replace the top of the pork and secure with kitchen twine.
- In a skillet, heat butter on medium high.
- Sear the pork on both sides until browned, about 2 min per side.
- Cook at 450 deg for 40 min or until internal temperature reaches 145 deg.
- Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with more salsa and roasted red potatoes on the side!
- Prepare Salsa:
- In a large bowl, combine apples, pear, cranberries, onion, and rosemary.
- Place 1 tbsp butter in bottom of slow cooker and set to low. Pour the apple mixture into the slow cooker over the butter, then add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until the fruit has broken down completely (I stirred the pot halfway).
- Serve warm or cold over meat, salad, crusty bread, or as a side dish on its own!
Claire Tastes 
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