Pork and Aromatic Rhubarb Traybake (Printable)

Oven-roasted pork with tangy rhubarb, ginger, orange, and warming spices baked together for easy comfort food.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 and 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 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 orange, zested and juiced
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

# Directions:

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 prepared 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 -
  • One tray means one cleanup, and honestly, that's half the battle on a weeknight.
  • The pork stays juicy while the rhubarb transforms into glossy, caramelized tanginess that cuts through the richness perfectly.
  • Those warming spices make your kitchen smell so good you'll want to just stand there and breathe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial pork-drying step; any surface moisture will steam away instead of browning, and you'll miss that caramelized flavor.
  • Rhubarb releases a lot of liquid as it cooks—this is normal and becomes part of the magic, creating a light glaze, but if it looks too wet halfway through, just carefully drain some off.
03 -
  • If your pork is very thick, pound it slightly before cooking so it's more uniform and cooks evenly without you having to worry about dry edges.
  • A splash of balsamic vinegar in the rhubarb mixture before roasting adds a musky depth that makes people lean in and ask what's different about the flavor.
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