1. Preheat oven to 220 °C (450 °F).
2. In a mortar, grind salt, fennel seeds and finely chopped sage. Mix until smooth.
3. Generously coat rack of pork with olive oil, then season with salt mixture.
4. Place pork on a rack in a deep baking dish. Add 1–1 ½ cups of water to bottom of dish and add cinnamon sticks.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 200 ̊ C (400 ̊ F) and continue cooking for 1 hour.
7. In the meantime, in a bowl, combine cider vinegar and brown sugar.
8. Remove rack of pork from oven and arrange apples, onions, potatoes and sprigs of sage around it. Drizzle with vinegar and brown sugar mixture.
9. Return to oven and continue cooking for 30–35 minutes, or until internal temperature of pork reaches 63 ̊ C (145 ̊ F) and vegetables are tender.
10. Once cooked, remove rack of pork from oven and let stand for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
11. Serve warm with cooking juices.

Chef’s secret:

• For a juicy roast, let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juice to spread through the meat, preventing it from drying on the plate.
• For an impeccable presentation, ask your butcher to prepare a rack of pork using the “Maître d'hôtel” cut, a more aesthetically pleasing cut.

Recipe introduction

Enjoy a taste of festive charm with our apple-spice pork loin rack. This IGA recipe combines the tenderness of pork with the sweetness of Cortland apples and the warmth of festive spices. Cider vinegar and brown sugar add a tangy and sweet touch, while fresh sage adds a herbaceous note. Perfect for holiday meals, this main dish is both tasty and elegant. Follow our chef’s tips for juicy meat and flawless presentation. Indulge yourself with this celebration of flavour!