Pork and Aromatic Rhubarb Traybake (Printable Version)

Oven-roasted pork with tangy rhubarb, red onions, ginger, and warming spices for a flavorful one-pan meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pork

01 - 1.75 lb boneless pork shoulder or loin, cut into thick slices
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rhubarb & Aromatics

05 - 10 oz rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 orange, zest and juice
10 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

→ Spices

11 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
12 - 1 teaspoon ground fennel
13 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 0.25 teaspoon chili flakes, optional

→ Garnish

16 - 3 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, toss pork slices with olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. Arrange on one side of the baking tray.
03 - In another bowl, combine rhubarb, red onions, garlic, ginger, orange zest and juice, and honey. Toss well to coat, then spread out on the tray beside the pork.
04 - Roast for 35 minutes, turning the pork and stirring the rhubarb mixture halfway through.
05 - Increase oven temperature to 430°F and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until pork is golden and cooked through and rhubarb is tender and caramelized.
06 - Rest pork for 5 minutes, then slice. Serve everything on a platter, sprinkled with fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts together on one tray, so cleanup is laughably easy and you can actually sit down when dinner is done.
  • The rhubarb caramelizes into this sweet-tart glaze that clings to the pork in a way no sauce from a jar ever could.
  • Warming spices like cinnamon and coriander make the whole house smell like you've been cooking all day, even though you haven't.
  • It's fancy enough for guests but forgiving enough that you won't panic if someone shows up early.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step for the pork, because slicing it too early means all those lovely juices end up on your cutting board instead of in your mouth.
  • If your rhubarb is super tart, taste a piece raw and adjust the honey up to 3 tablespoons so the final dish doesn't pucker your face.
  • Turning the pork and stirring the rhubarb halfway through isn't optional, it's the difference between evenly caramelized and half-burnt, half-raw.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper instead of foil because the rhubarb can stick and tear, and parchment makes cleanup so much easier.
  • Grate your ginger on a microplane instead of chopping it, you'll get more flavor without any fibrous bits that get stuck in your teeth.
  • If you want extra crispy pork, pat the slices dry with paper towels before tossing them in the spice mix, moisture is the enemy of a good crust.
  • Taste the rhubarb mixture before it goes in the oven and adjust the honey or salt, it should be tangy and sweet with a hint of warmth from the spices.
Go Back