Chipotle Crusted Pork Loin Roast & Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This turned out to be the meal that kept on giving (in a good way).  I started with a large pork loin roast and "reinvented" it twice.  That's the great thing about pork roasts, there are so many things you can do with them.  I started with the recipe for Chipotle Crusted Pork Roast (modified for allrecipes.com Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin)

2 tsp onion powder (I also added some dried onion flakes)
2 tsp garlic powder
5 TBS chipotle chili powder (more or less to taste-  it's pretty spicy)
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large pork loin roast

Mix all ingredients together and coat pork roast evenly.  Put in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate.

Remove from fridge, preheat oven to 475 degrees.   Place pork on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up.  (If you don't have a rack, you can coil up some foil and snake it under the pork roast to make your own rack-- that's what I do)  Put in oven at 475 for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees (23-33 minutes per pound).

Remove from oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  It will continue cooking to an internal temp of 160 degrees.

Oh, it was GOOOOOOD!  Smokey, spicy & sweet all in one!

For the Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  Bake 4 large sweet potatoes (be sure to put foil under them, they are messy when you cook them).  When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the potatoes.  Mash them, add a little butter and some chipotle chili powder to taste.  Put them in a small baking dish.  Sprinkle just a little brown sugar on the top, and put it back in the oven for about 15 minutes.  It is a perfect match!

Oh, it was GOOOOOOD!  Smokey, spicy & sweet all in one!
Stay tuned for part 2 of 3 of the never ending pork roast-- pulled pork sandwiches.

One side note, after cooking the sugar covered pork, there was a HUGE burned mess in the bottom of the pan.  If you don't already have some Dawn Power Dissolver, it might be a good idea to pick some up.  This stuff works amazingly.  It will get any pan clean with no scrubbing.  I spray it on and 30 minutes later go back to the pan with a scraper and the burnt on mess literally peels right off.

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