Spiced Orange Pork Roast

 

2

1/2- to 3-pound pork shoulder roast

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1

medium orange

1

bag (16 ounces) baby-cut carrots

1/2

cup dried apricots or orange-flavored dried plums

1/2

cup chicken broth

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4

teaspoon ground nutmeg

2

tablespoons cornstarch

1

tablespoon water

1

tablespoon honey

Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

• 1 Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Cook pork in skillet over medium-high heat until brown on all sides. Grate peel from orange; squeeze juice from orange. Reserve orange peel and juice.
• 2 Place pork in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Place carrots and apricots on pork. Mix broth, cinnamon, nutmeg and reserved orange peel and juice; pour over pork.
• 3 Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 11 hours or until pork is tender.
• 4 Remove pork, carrots and apricots from cooker; cover to keep warm. Skim fat from surface of juices in cooker; pour juices into 1-quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir in honey. Stir honey mixture into juices in saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Serve pork with carrots, apricots and sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.