Mmmm, savory maple pork roast.  Doesn’t that just scream fall?

This is a great party recipe.  Use it in the fall and winter for family gatherings when you don’t want to make a ham (because that’s too Christmasy) or a turkey (because that’s so November.)

What I love about this recipe is that you make a quick wet rub, then throw it in the oven and forget about it.  Perfect for parties because it makes a lot, tastes great, and you don’t have to fuss, leaving time to make other food or mingle with guests.

Good, down home cooking is uncomplicated and satisfying.

Let’s get some flavor on.

Ingredients:

6 lb. rack of pork

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

3/4 c. dijon or spicy brown mustard

1-2 Tblspoons lemon juice (adjust for your taste, I don’t like it lemony so I use a scant 1 Tbs.)

Minced garlic or garlic powder (to taste)

Salt and pepper (yep- to taste.  Make this how YOU and YOUR family like it.  It’s very forgiving.)

Get your maple syrup (go with real maple syrup.  Please skip the HFCS, artificially flavored “pancake syrup”.  Your tastebuds will thank you.) and some dijon mustard and put it in a bowl.  Use twice as much maple syrup as mustard.

Add garlic. I used garlic powder because my garlic press was MIA.  Add some lemon juice~ the acid will brighten up the flavors.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix it all together.

Yep, it’s just that easy.  Throw the ingredients in a bowl and stir it up.

Line a roasting pan with foil and lay your roast inside, fat side up.  Slather it with the dijon maple rub.  Fold a piece of foil over the end of the bones so they don’t scorch.

Roast at 350° for 20 minutes per pound- 2 hours for a 6 pound roast- or until the internal temperature is 145°.  Let it rest for a few minutes before cutting.

Did you know they changed the temperature for safely eating pork from 160° to 145°?  No more pork chop leather in the name of food safety!

When your roast comes out, you can serve it up on a platter for an impressive presentation, or cut it into chops and plate them.

This week, Costco will take $2.50 off a rack of pork (coupon taken at register).  And they want to give one of you $25 in CostcoCash to try it for yourself!

To win the gift card, leave me a comment telling me about your favorite easy party dish.  Get a second entry by Tweeting, Facebooking, or blogging this giveaway.

Your comment is your entry, so make sure to leave a second comment letting me know you Facebooked, Tweeted, or blogged.  Leave the URL (you can get a FB or Twitter URL by clicking on the time stamp, then copying the address bar.)

Contest begins today and ends at noon CST, Friday November 4, 2011.  Winner will be notified by email. (Make sure you fill out the email field when you leave your comment- I’m the only one who can see it.)

Non-valid entries will be deleted.  Must be 18 and a US resident.

Blogging with Integrity: This post and giveaway is sponsored by The Motherhood on behalf Costco and The National Pork Board, who gave me a Costco membership and Costco cash to buy ingredients and are providing a stipend for developing a recipe and running the giveaway.  

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