enough sweet paprika & [dryrubbed] sage to coat your roast
For the Arroz con Cerdo
1 ½– 2lbs pork roastdiced
leftover pan sauceat least 1 cup
6 ½cupsof water
4cupsJasmine rice
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Skillet-Roasted Pork
Use a braiser or a Dutch/French oven large enough to fit the roast to cook this in.
After you pat dry the meat with paper towels, season with salt & pepper to taste, then coat it with paprika and sage while you're melting the butter – I took a picture because I wanted to make sure y'all knew I was serious about coating, not sprinkling -- the roast.
You'll know the butter is ready when it's not only melted but starts smelling nutty; don't let it burn though. Brown/sear the roast on both sides on Med-High (as soon as it hits the pan and the paprika and sage start to sizzle, you'll probably swoon a little from the deliciousness of the smell. But maybe that's just me), making sure to move the roast around so the sauce doesn't burn.
Lower the temperature to Med-Low and cover.
Cook for 30 minutes on each side until the internal temperature in the center of the roast reaches 145-155* using an instant-read thermometer. Remove roast from pan and allow to rest 10-15 minutes. Slice diagonally in ½ inch-thick slices. I suggest you serve this with a nice starch that will absorb the sauce, like baked or mashed potatoes, or white rice, and seasonal vegetables.
For the Arroz con Cerdo
Dice up at least 1 1/2lbs of leftover roast, simmer it a few minutes in leftover pan sauce (which has all that delicious butter, paprika and sage!), then add the water, rice, and salt & pepper, bring to a boil, stir.
Lower heat to Med-Low, cover and cook 20 minutes.
Add in frozen peas if you'd like – I usually don't add them but the pictures would've been terrible without a little pop of color. (I like it with the peas but my guys prefer it without.)
Notes
Note: my mother-in-law makes this roast with thyme, not sage. While delicious that way, one day I ran out of thyme (ha!) so I used sage instead, and WOW, that was it... the sage really took it to another level for me. Feel free to try it with either herb and please let us know what you think! You can also sub in 4 tablespoons of olive oil for an equal amount of butter and it will still taste delicious.