Maple-Glazed Pork Roast

Mini Experiment #3

Maple-Glazed Pork Roast (serves 4 - 6 gnomes or 3 normal people)

Final Product: 

Hypothesis: Using 1 and a half teaspoons of red cayenne pepper in the maple mix (instead of a pinch) will enhance the spicy flavor of the pork roast.

Null hypothesis: There will be no difference in the spicy level of the pork with or without the red cayenne pepper.

Independent variable: Red Cayenne Pepper

Dependent variable: Level of spiciness

Standardized variables:
- Skillet temperature
- Stove temperature
- Places where heat was conducted to the skillet
- Room temperature (70° F)

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   pinch ground cloves
   pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 boneless pork loin roast, preferably blade-end, (about 2 1/2 pounds), tied at even intervals along length with 5 pieces butcher's twine
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Cooking instructions (Experiment):
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Stir maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne together in measuring cup or small bowl and set aside. Put an extra amount of Cayenne pepper to spice things up (1 1/2 tsp).
3. Pat roast dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 3 minutes.
5. Place roast fat-side down in skillet and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes.
6. Using tongs, rotate roast one-quarter turn and cook until well browned, about 2 1/2 minutes; repeat until roast is well browned on all sides.
7. Transfer roast to large plate. Reduce heat to medium and pour off fat from skillet.
8. Add maple syrup mixture and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds (syrup will bubble immediately). 
9. Turn the heat off and return roast to skillet; using tongs, roll to coat roast with glaze on all sides.
10. Place skillet in oven and roast until center of roast registers about 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer.
11. 35 to 45 minutes, using tongs to roll and spin roast to coat with glaze twice during roasting time. I personally did it 4 times (40 minutes / every 10 minutes)

Roast center registers 135° F

Roast center registers 145° F

12.Transfer roast to carving board or plate; set skillet aside to cool slightly to thicken glaze, about 5 minutes.
13. Pour glaze over roast and let rest 15 minutes longer (center of loin should register about 145
degrees on instant-read thermometer).
14. Snip twine off roast, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and serve immediately.

(Source: America's Test Kitchen - The science of good cooking)

Results:
The hypothesis was supported because I gave it to my roommates to try and all three of them said it had a little spicy kick. Good enough to be comfortable when you eat the pork roast. A side dish that would go well with the sweetness of this dish would be garlic sauteed greens, Hispanic rice (Arroz amarillo) or braised cabbage.

Roast on skillet in the oven

Roast done set on a plate

In the book it says how many roasts turn out dry, but the glazes are actually even a bigger problem for the cook. Some are too thin, too sweet, too much of a maple flavor, etc. America's Test Kitchen wanted a glistening roast, which, when sliced, would combine the juices from tender, well-seasoned pork with a rich maple glaze to create complex flavor in every bite. And it really happened. I was surprised how juicy the roast was once its cut. I really thought that caramelizing the maple sauce would make it crispy and overcooked. However, I realized how different it was when combining the savory-sweet and salty flavors.

Browning the roast will enhance a flavorful ­exterior. The grease that the pork had and is still on the skillet has to be discarded immediately. That's when the maple mix is poured on to the skillet.
The science behind the skillet is the following: the smaller area of the skillet kept the glaze from spreading out and burning, and the glaze reduced nicely while the roast cooked. Also rolling the roast in the glaze, just like I did rolling it every 10 minutes for 40 minutes ensured even coverage and resulted in a tender, juicy roast packed with maple flavor an a kick of spicy too.

Problems:
Very challenging for me since it is my very first recipe word by word that I follow, except for the cayenne pepper. I think that roasting in this recipe is not as demanding as doing some other roasting. People were telling me not to do it because I was going to be in the kitchen for 6 hours at least. And I have been and I like it; even if the cooking took me only an hour and a half just the pure emotion and excitement were amazing.
I would have loved to have exactly a 10-inch skillet or a perfectly 2 and a half pound pork loin roast, but I guess that would not have changed the final product much.

 Pictures of the experiment:

Cooking with my cooking hat on

Final presentation (Iron Prawn)