I really enjoy how the sweetness of caramel complements pork. This recipe uses a rosemary caramel to act as a sauce for some sous vide pork loin. You can flavor the caramel with many different spices and it gives you a wide variety of flavors you can add to a dish.
Melted sugar is very hot and can cause burns. Be sure to use a large enough pot because the cream will boil and expand when it is added to the heated sugar. The caramel sauce can be made several hours in advance as long as it's reheated before using as a sauce.
Pork is great at many different temperatures depending on your personal preferences. I started out eating it at 135°F (57.8°C) but I've slowly moved to 140°F (60°C) for most of my cooking. Many people enjoy it anywhere between 135°F to 149°F (57.8°C to 65°C) so feel free to experiment and see where you like it best.
Ingredients for Pork with Rosemary Caramel Sauce
- 900 grams pork loin roast, about 2 pound
- 3 grams paprika
- 3 grams ground mustard
- 3 grams rosemary leaves
- 2 grams onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- 360 grams heavy cream
- 8 grams rosemary leaves
- 200 grams sugar
- 30 grams water
- Apple, cut into small cubes
- Basil leaves
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Cooking Instructions for Pork with Rosemary Caramel Sauce
At least 5 to 7 hours before serving
Heat a sous vide machine to 140°F (60°C).
Cut the pork loin roast in slabs 1 inch (25 mm) thick. Combine all the spices in a bowl and mix well. Salt and pepper the pork then coat with the spice rub. Place the pork in sous vide pouches, seal them, and place in the water bath. Cook for 4 to 6 hours.
For more information on the cooking times you can read my detailed article which addresses why is there a range in sous vide cooking times.
Remove the pork from the sous vide pouches and pat dry. Quickly sear each slab in a pan over medium-high heat, until just browned. Remove from the heat. Cut into servings.
Combine the heavy cream and rosemary in a pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Blend the heavy cream and rosemary together then strain the cream.
Mix the sugar and water together in a pot, it should resemble wet sand. Heat the sugar over medium heat without stirring until it melts and bubbles. Once it starts to brown, stir it gently until it turns a light amber color. If clumps form cook for longer until they melt, almost all clumps should eventually melt out.
Once the sugar is an amber color, about 10 to 20 minutes total cooking time, pour in the rosemary cream while stirring, being sure not to burn yourself on the hot steam that will be released. Mix well to fully incorporate the cream into the sugar and cook for two minutes.
Remove from the heat and let the caramel sauce cool.
Place a piece of pork on a plate and drizzle with the rosemary caramel sauce. Top with some apple cubes and basil leaves then serve.
