Jerk Pork Loin With Mango Cucumber Salsa

For the pork

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

3 tablespoons canola or other neutrally flavored oil

8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 medium jalapeño pepper, stemmed but not seeded, then coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

One 2-pound boneless pork loin (not a tenderloin)

1 bay leaf

For the salsa

1 cup finely diced fresh mango

1 cup finely diced seedless cucumber

3 tablespoons minced red onion

1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more as needed

¼ teaspoon salt, or more as needed

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

For the pork: Combine the onion, vinegar, oil, garlic, jalapeño, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper in a food processor; puree until smooth. Place the meat in a large (1-gallon) zip-top bag. Add the marinade and bay leaf, toss to coat, and seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (and up to 2 days).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain the liquid from the zip-top bag, holding in any marinade solids but discarding the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a rack seated in a roasting pan; rub the marinade solids all over the pork. Roast for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork registers 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (medium-rare), or for about 1 hour to register 160 degrees (medium).

Meanwhile, make the salsa: Combine the mango, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, the ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper in a medium bowl, stirring to incorporate. (At this point, the salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance.)

Just before serving, stir in the cilantro; taste, and add lime juice and/or salt, as needed. The yield is 2 to 2¼ cups.

Allow the roasted pork loin to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing into ¼-inch-thick slices. Serve with the salsa.

6 servings

Nutrition: Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.

Adapted from "You Have It Made: Delicious, Healthy, Do-Ahead Meals," by Ellie Krieger (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016).