Welcome to a recipe that beautifully marries the savory richness of pork with the unique, fragrant sweetness of quince. If you've never cooked with quince before, you're in for a treat! This ancient fruit, resembling a pear, transforms when cooked, becoming tender and releasing an incredible floral aroma that pairs wonderfully with roasted meats. Baking the pork in foil ensures it becomes incredibly tender and juicy, while the quince and red wine create a luscious, flavorful sauce. This dish is perfect for a special family dinner or a festive holiday meal, filling your home with an unforgettable, mouthwatering scent.
Pork with quince, baked in foil
Ingredients for Pork with Quince Baked in Foil
- Pork neck (or shoulder) – 1 kg
- Quince – 1 (large)
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
- Red wine – 100 ml
- Vegetable oil – 1 tsp
- Salt – 1-1.5 tsp or to taste
- Ground black pepper – 1/4 tsp
- Dried basil – 1 tsp
- Dried thyme – 1 tsp
How to cook pork with quince baked in foil
Rinse the meat, pat it dry, and make cuts every 1-1.5 cm, but not all the way through to the bottom. It will be easier to slice evenly if you chill the meat in the freezer for half an hour beforehand.
Mix the salt with pepper and crushed spices, rub the piece of meat with the mixture, and leave it to marinate for 2-3 hours.
Rubbing the scored pork with spices
Once the time is up, prepare the quince. Thoroughly wash the fruit’s velvety surface. You can leave the skin on. Cut the quince in half, carefully remove the core with its hard (so-called “stony”) layer and seeds. Then slice it into wedges 5-7 mm thick.
Peeling and slicing the quince
Insert two quince slices into each cut on the piece of meat.
Placing quince slices into the cuts
Place the meat on a sheet of baking foil and form high sides. Put it on a baking sheet or in a heatproof dish and place it in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.
Place the dish with the meat in foil, uncovered, into a preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 minutes
Then, carefully remove the dish with oven mitts and pour the red wine over the meat in the foil. The taste of the wine won’t be noticeable in the finished dish, but it will make the pork especially tender and juicy.
After 10 minutes, pour wine over the meat and quince
Now, wrap the meat tightly in the foil and place it back in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the piece: a larger one will take longer to bake, a smaller one will be quicker.
Wrap the pork with quince and wine in foil and cook in the oven until fully done
After an hour, you can carefully unwrap the foil and check with the tip of a knife: if the meat is still firm, continue cooking. If it’s already tender, unwrap the top of the foil and put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes to get an appetizingly browned top. To prevent the top from drying out, baste it with the juices from the bottom, scooping them up with a spoon.
10 minutes before it's done, unwrap the foil and bake to get a golden-brown crust
You can leave the finished meat wrapped in foil in the oven until it’s time to serve; it will rest and become even more tender and aromatic. This means you can prepare the dish the day before (unless it’s very hot in your home, in which case it’s better to refrigerate the meat). You can also serve it immediately after cooking, as your family will already be gathered in the kitchen, drawn by the delicious smells!
Pork with quince, baked in foil
And there you have it—a stunning centerpiece dish that's as delightful to the palate as it is to the eye. The best way to serve this foil-baked pork with quince is to let it rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every slice is perfectly moist. Carve the pork and serve it alongside the tender, caramelized quince slices, drizzling everything with the rich pan juices. It pairs wonderfully with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, or a simple green salad. Enjoy this warm, comforting, and truly special meal!
0 comments