About the Recipe
Nothing brings people together like a delicious, home-cooked meal. This holiday season, gather your loved ones and serve a hearty feast featuring Roasted Johnston’s Pork Loin, paired with Crushed Golden Potatoes, BC Ambrosia Apple Jam, and a refreshing Cabbage Salad. Not only is this meal full of flavours from the best of BC’s harvest, but it’s also a great way to support local farmers and ranchers while enjoying a meal that everyone will love.
I love mixing it up during the holidays, and this meal is perfect for celebrating with family and friends. The beauty of cooking a meal like this is how it connects us to our local communities—especially with top-notch ingredients from Johnston’s Pork.
For a feast that’s both flavourful and sustainable, be sure to head to your local butcher and ask for Johnston’s BC pork. Choosing local helps support hardworking farmers across the province during the holiday season.
Ingredients
3-4 lb fresh Johnston’s BC pork loin
Grandpa J’s seasoning (Jet Bell’s favourite!)
3 lbs BC Fresh potatoes, peeled
1 ¼ head green cabbage, thinly sliced, core removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
Black pepper for grinding
Salt (kosher works best)
4 Ambrosia BC apples
BC honey
Preparation
BC Fresh Potatoes
Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 3 tbsp salt.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork tender.
Strain the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher.
Add 1/8 cup olive oil (or enough to make the potatoes creamy) and a good splash of apple cider vinegar.
Season with salt to taste and enjoy the perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and savory.
BC Ambrosia Apple Jam
Core and dice the apples into ¼-inch pieces.
In a small pot, combine apples, 3 tbsp BC honey, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Cover and cook over low/medium heat for 25 minutes, until the apples are tender and jammy.
BC Cabbage Salad
Mix the thinly sliced cabbage with a splash of apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
For added flavour, you can toss in dried BC cranberries, toasted BC hazelnuts, and even some raw sliced Brussels sprouts or chopped kale.
Johnston’s BC Pork
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season the pork loin liberally with Grandpa J’s seasoning (or simply salt and pepper).
In a large, shallow pan, pan-sear the pork loin in olive oil until browned on all sides.
Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Then flip the pork loin and roast for another 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (use a meat thermometer).
Remove from the oven, and let the pork rest before slicing and serving.
I love serving this meal family-style, inviting everyone to gather around the table, and helping themselves to the feast. The holiday season is about sharing moments of joy and appreciation—let’s all take a moment to be grateful for the food on our table and the people we share it with. Happy holidays and enjoy every bite!