COFFEE AND COLA PORK LOIN

Coffee and Cola Pork Loin image

Provided by Ingrid Hoffmann

Time P1DT1h20m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 cup warm water, plus 1 cup cold water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) pork loin
1/4 cup ground coffee beans
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
3 whole star anise
1 (1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick broken into small pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/2 pound bacon, diced
2 cups demi-glace or 1 package demi-glace mix dissolved in 1 cup water
1 cup red wine
1 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1 cup cola

Steps:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine 1 cup of warm water with the vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Transfer to a large resealable gallon-sized plastic bag. Add 1 cup of cold water and the pork loin, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
Pulse the coffee, brown sugar, peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon stick in a coffee or spice grinder until they become a fine powder. Remove the pork loin from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub with the spice mix, transfer the pork to a baking sheet and set it aside at room temperature.
In a large skillet melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork loin and brown for 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and roast until the temperature reads 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Remove the roast from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove any excess fat from the pan and add the demi-glace, red wine, cola, pineapple juice and pineapple tidbits. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. Slice the pork loin and serve with the sauce on the side.