Rye and Cinnamon Crusted Pork Loin

Sliced pork loin with a rye bread crumb and cinnamon crust

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City/Region: Vienna

Time Period: 1742

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Mozart is one of my favorite composers of all time. When he fell ill and died in 1791 at the age of 35, rumors flew about what caused his death. Speculation continues to this day. Was it poison from a jealous rival or the Freemasons? Was it one of many possible illnesses? We don’t know for sure, but one theory is that it was trichinosis from undercooked pork, and we do know that he ate pork 44 days before he became sick.

This recipe from a Viennese cookbook in 1742 is for mutton loin, but it says that you can use the recipe for pork or venison as well. While boiling meat is not the most delicious way to prepare it, the crust that you prepare after it’s boiled is delicious. It’s slightly sweet with a hint of cinnamon and a very nice crunch, so if you’re not worried about sticking to the historical recipe exactly, try the crust on some pork chops (cooked however you like) or a roasted pork loin.

“No. 239 - Mutton Loin
Take from a mutton the loin, as large as it can be, and dress it as one does a venison loin. Boil it in water, wine, and vinegar with bay leaves, onion, rosemary, and strips of lemon peel until it is quite tender. When it is cooked, arrange it on a casserole dish and pour melted butter over it. Take grated dark bread, mix it with cinnamon and sugar, sprinkle this over the loin, pour more butter over it, and put it into the oven, so that it becomes nicely brown, turning it once or twice. Make a good broth, pour it underneath, and serve it warm at the table.”

— Nützliches Koch-Buch (The Useful Cookbook) by Johann Holzmayer (1742 edition)

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Ingredients:

Pork Loin

• 3-4 lbs (1.5 kg) pork loin
• 2-3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 2 quarts (2 L) water
• 2 cups (.5 L) dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
• 4 bay leaves, fresh if you can get them
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Zest of 1 lemon

Crust

• 1/2 cup (110 g) butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) dark rye or dark wheat bread crumbs*
• 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

*I used pumpernickel that I toasted until completely dry, then grated them into crumbs.

Instructions:

1. For the pork loin: Rub the pork loin with the salt.
2. Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the pork loin and sear it on all sides, including the ends.
3. Remove the loin from the pot and set it aside. Pour in the water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the white wine, vinegar, bay leaves, sliced onions, rosemary, and lemon zest.
4. Once the pot is steaming, add the pork loin back in and let it come to a gentle boil. Cover the pot and cook for about 30 minutes, or until it has an internal temperature of 130°F (55°C).
5. For the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.
7. When the pork loin is done, remove it from the pot and pat it dry.
8. Pour a little of the melted butter into a baking dish and use a brush to coat the bottom of the dish. Set the pork in. Pour the remaining butter over the top and the sides of the pork.
9. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the pork loin, making sure to coat it all over. Some of the bread crumbs will fall into the pan, but that’s fine.
10. Roast the pork loin in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has a nice dry crust on top.
11. Take the pork loin out of the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat some of the broth that the pork was boiled in, then slice the loin and serve it forth with a bit of the broth.

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