Pork and Aromatic Rhubarb Traybake (Printable Version)

Oven-roasted pork shoulder with caramelized rhubarb, aromatic spices, and fresh citrus—a modern European traybake comfort dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 & 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, zest and juice
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 mixing 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 thoroughly 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 cooking.
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. Transfer to a serving platter and top with fresh herbs.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one tray, so cleanup is as simple as crumpling parchment paper and calling it done.
  • The rhubarb caramelizes into this sweet-tart glaze that clings to the pork and makes every bite feel special without any fuss.
  • Warming spices like coriander and fennel turn a weeknight dinner into something that feels like you planned it for days.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, tucked into flatbreads or spooned over rice with all those sticky, flavorful juices.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the tray or the pork will steam instead of roast, and you'll miss out on those crispy, caramelized edges that make this dish shine.
  • Taste your rhubarb before cooking, if it's very tart, add an extra tablespoon of honey or you'll pucker through dinner.
  • Resting the pork isn't optional, those few minutes let the juices redistribute so every slice stays moist and tender.
03 -
  • Use a large tray so everything has room to breathe, cramped ingredients steam instead of roast and you lose that golden, caramelized magic.
  • Save any leftover juices in a jar in the fridge, they're incredible drizzled over roasted vegetables or stirred into grain bowls later in the week.
  • If your rhubarb pieces are thin, add them 10 minutes into the first roast so they don't turn to mush before the pork is done.
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