Spicy-Sweet Maple Glazed Pork Roast with Root Vegetables

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It’s no secret that I’ve fallen in love with pork recently.

Vertical overhead image of two slices of roast pork with root vegetables on a plate, with a fork and more of the dish in the background, on a gray surface with a striped cloth, printed with orange and white text near the middle and at the bottom of the frame.

I used to think of it as the “other” white meat, which terrified me as a child. I couldn’t equate the pinkness of a pig to a white meat so… I thought it was some sort of scary meat like alligator that my mom was trying to get me to eat.

Therefore, I refused to eat it. Well, except for bacon of course, because that has some pink to it…

But tastes can change. Lately, I have been all about the pork.

Seasoned roast pork on a bed of root vegetables sprinkled with parsley, in a red enameled cast iron pan.

It’s a lean meat, but it’s also so tender and takes on flavors so well. It’s just plain delicious, and when you cook it the right way, oh man – it’s downright mouthwatering.

There are tons of tried and true pork recipes out there, and I’ve recently been preparing tenderloin or roasts in the electric pressure cooker, but I have to say that this is the easiest and most flavorful all-in-one meal that I’ve tried.

What makes it so easy, you ask? Well, all you have to do is start by seasoning the meat with a simple combination of salt and pepper. You sear it on all sides, to lock in the juiciness of the meat.

Vertical oblique overhead image of sliced roasted pork on two gray plates beside a portion of roasted root vegetables, with silver and striped cloth napkins, on a gray surface beside a red enameled cast iron pan containing the remainder of the dish, with a gathered blue cloth with white speckles at the top left of the frame.

After that, you make a maple syrup based sauce with just four simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry right now. The roast gets glazed in the sauce, and then the root vegetables get the same treatment.

The meat and vegetables get a trip to the oven to roast until everything is tender and cooked through, and then it’s time to eat!

Pretty darn easy, am I right?

Vertical head-on image of two slices of roasted pork with potatoes and carrots on a gray plate, on a darker gray surface with a glass of red wine, red enameled cast iron pan, and silverware, against a mottled black background.

Not only is this recipe incredibly simple, the maple syrup sauce is stunningly tasty as well.

The combination of sweet, smoky, and spicy flavors is, simply put, incredible. This meal is simple to make, but everyone will think that you spent hours in the kitchen preparing it.

It’s sweet and savory, which is one of those combinations of contrasting flavors that gets me every single time.

And the best part for a busy lady like myself is that this whole meal comes together in just one skillet.

Vertical overhead image of plated slices of roast pork with root vegetables, with silverware and cloth napkins, and a red enameled cast iron pan containing the rest of the dish, with a glass of red wine on a gray surface.

Only one pan to wash when dinner’s over? I’m in!

I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet to make this meal. You can use any oven-safe heavy-duty skillet, but I feel like cast iron is really the only way to go. It really helps to create a nice crust on the outside of the meat in a way that other skillets simply cannot.

Vertical overhead image of slices of roast pork on a plate with a portion of roasted potatoes and carrots, with striped cloth napkins and silverware, and another identical plate at the top left, with a red enameled cast iron pan containing the remainder of the dish at the top right of the frame.

Plus, when your beloved pan is seasoned well, it’s that much easier to clean. Everything just comes right off under a steady stream of hot water.

I am ever so grateful that my grandmother passed down her cast iron skillet to me. It’s the one pan that I use more than anything else in my kitchen, and it’s so perfectly seasoned. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend getting one because it’ll totally change the way you cook.

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Horizontal image of two slices of roast pork on a gray plate with roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions, with a fork on the side of the plate, on top of striped blue and white cloth napkins, with another identical plate in the background and more of the dish in a red enameled cast iron pan, with a glass of red wine, on a gray surface.

Maple Glazed Pork Roast with Root Vegetables

★★★★★

5 from 1 review
  • Author: Meghan Yager
  • Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This maple glazed roasted pork roast with root vegetables is an ultra juicy cut of meat that will leave everyone around the table raving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ lbs)
  • 2 medium turnips (about 2 lbs)
  • 4 medium carrots (about 1/2 lb)
  • 1 large yellow onion (about 1 cup chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 lbs)
  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground cumin
  • Pinch of ground cloves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.
  2. Scrub the potatoes. Peel the turnips, carrots, and onion. Cut all vegetables into 1-inch chunks.
  3. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on all sides.
  4. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet or cast iron pan. Place roast in the pan fatty side down. Cook until well browned, about 3-4 minutes. Repeat on all sides until entire roast is browned. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside. Pour off excess fat from pan.
  5. In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, cayenne, cumin, and cloves.
  6. Place the skillet back over medium heat and pour in the syrup mixture. It will bubble quickly. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove skillet from heat and return pork to pan. Turn to coat all sides with syrup mixture.
  7. Add potatoes, turnips, carrots, and onions. Stir again to coat with the remaining syrup. Sprinkle entire dish lightly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  8. Place skillet in the oven and roast for 45-55 minutes, or until pork registers 145˚F when a thermometer is inserted into the center of the meat.
  9. Transfer pork to a cutting board. Let meat rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the glazed vegetables.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
  • Category: Pork
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Dinner

Keywords: roast pork, root vegetables, pork, maple syrup

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop Vegetables and Measure Remaining Ingredients

Wash all of the vegetables well with a scrub brush.

Horizontal overhead image of a yellow onion, two turnips, four potatoes, four carrots, pork on a black plate, and small round and square glass dishes of spices, oil, and maple syrup, on a gray sponge painted surface.

Get out your vegetable peeler, and peel the turnips and carrots. Remove the stem and root ends. Peel the onion.

Using a sharp chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board, cut the root vegetables into 1-inch chunks.

Note: It’s important to cut the vegetables into small, equally sized pieces so that they will finish cooking at the same time as the pork. If they aren’t fork-tender when the meat is done, you can remove the pork from the pan and continue roasting the vegetables as needed while the meat rests.

Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.

Preheat your oven to 325˚F.

Step 2 – Brown the Meat

Season the pork on all sides with half of the salt and all of the freshly ground black pepper.

Horizontal oblique overhead image of raw pork seasoned with salt and pepper on a black plate, on a gray surface.

Add the oil to a large ovenproof skillet, and place it over medium-high heat. This is the perfect opportunity to use your favorite cast iron pan.

Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the roast, fatty side down.

Seasoned pork that has been seared and developed a brown crust on the outside, in a black cast iron pan on a gray surface.

Now, it’s time to sear the roast. Cook until the pork is well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, without flipping or moving the meat around. Repeat on all sides until it’s browned all over. Transfer the roast to a plate and set it aside.

Pour off any excess fat from the pan and discard it.

Step 3 – Make the Glaze

Stir together the pure maple syrup, cayenne, cumin, and cloves in a small bowl.

Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the syrup mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the pork back to the pan. Turn the roast in the pan, coating it on all sides with the syrup mixture.

Step 4 – Roast with the Vegetables

Add the potatoes, turnips, carrots, and onions to the pan around the roast. Stir the vegetables to coat them in the remaining syrup mixture. Sprinkle all over with the remaining salt.

Vertical overhead image of spice rubbed and seared pork roast on a bed of cut up carrots, potatoes, and onions, in a cast iron pan with red enameled handles, on a gray painted surface.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 45 to 55 minutes. The pork should register 145˚F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the center.

Allow the roast to rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board before slicing. Serve with the root vegetables.

What Kind of Maple Syrup Should I Use?

For this particular recipe, you definitely want to make sure you are using 100% pure maple syrup. Don’t get any of that “maple flavored” stuff that’s made with high-fructose corn syrup. Make sure it’s pure, natural syrup to get the best flavor.

Personally, I recommend skipping the Fancy Grade A because it’s pretty light in terms of maple flavor. Instead, opt for my personal favorite, the slightly darker Grade A Medium Amber. If you like even more of a sweet and earthy boost of maple, go for Grade A Dark Amber or Grade B.

Horizontal image of two slices of roast pork on a gray plate with roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions, with a fork on the side of the plate, on top of striped blue and white cloth napkins, with another identical plate in the background and more of the dish in a red enameled cast iron pan, with a glass of red wine, on a gray surface.

For more inspiring pork recipes, check out the following from Foodal:

What kind of maple flavor do you like the most – light or dark? Tell us in the comments below. Once you try the recipe, be sure to come back to rate it!

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 4, 2011. Last updated: November 16, 2021 at 17:32 pm.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Meghan Yager

Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.

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