09/11/2026
GOC Recipe: Pork Loin with Fig Pan Sauce
This week at the Gainesville Opportunity Center, we prepared Pork Loin with Fig Pan Sauce for lunch. It looks impressive, but it uses simple ingredients and techniques that can easily be tried at home.
Ingredients: Pork loin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 jar fig jam, and optional sautéed onion and garlic.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Season pork with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sear the pork in a frying pan until browned on the outside, being careful not to burn the flavorful browned bits, or fond, in the pan.
Transfer pork to a baking dish and bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, about 20–25 minutes depending on size.
Meanwhile, deglaze the frying pan with ¼ cup red wine vinegar. Add the fig jam and gently simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce begins to reduce. Sautéed onions and garlic can also be added.
When the pork is done, remove it from the baking dish and add about ¼ cup of the pan drippings to the fig sauce. Continue reducing the sauce while the pork rests. Slice the pork on the bias, fan the slices across the plate, and spoon the fig sauce over the top.
At GOC, preparing lunch is part of our work. Members take an active role in planning, cooking, serving, and cleaning up. Along the way, we practice teamwork, learn new skills, build confidence, and prepare a meal that benefits the whole Clubhouse community.
Good food, meaningful work, and a meal shared together—that’s a GOC lunch.
