Harvest Dinner: Sweet Potatoes, Red Onions, Apples, and Pork Loin

Cut the sweet potatoes smaller than you think you need to. Smaller cubes cook faster, brown more evenly, and are easier for little kids to eat.

If you'd like, serve this meal with homemade bread. I've even experimented with baking bread on the grill, which has become one of my favorite ways to avoid heating up the house during warmer weather.

Whisk together and serve alongside the pork.

My kids especially enjoyed this meal with Chick-fil-A Sauce.

One of my favorite ways to make this meal is by using the grill as an outdoor oven. It keeps the heat outside and works surprisingly well for roasting vegetables, cooking pork, and even baking bread.

Heating all of the burners initially helps the grill come up to temperature much faster.

This creates indirect heat and essentially turns your grill into an outdoor oven.

I originally added my apples during only the final 10 minutes of cooking. They were still a little crunchier than I would have preferred.

Next time I will probably add them 15–20 minutes before the meal is finished so they become more tender while still holding their shape.

For this recipe I used both avocado oil and homemade beef tallow.

The beef tallow came from a quarter beef we purchased, and I rendered the fat myself.

You can absolutely make this recipe using just one cooking fat if that's what you have on hand. Avocado oil, olive oil, beef tallow, butter, or even bacon grease would all work well.

Personally, I like using a variety of fats in my cooking because each one brings a different flavor and fatty acid profile to the table. The beef tallow adds richness and a subtle savory flavor, while the avocado oil has a neutral taste and handles high temperatures well.

Use what works for your family and pantry.

As a mom with a degree in Food Science, I love helping my children understand that the foods they eat have a purpose.

We talk about how food helps our bodies grow, learn, play, and stay healthy.

For this recipe:

Contain beta-carotene, which supports healthy eyes and immune function.

Contain quercetin, a plant compound associated with heart and immune health.

Also contain quercetin and other beneficial plant compounds like anthocyanins (a powerful antioxidant).

Provides high-quality protein that helps build and maintain muscles.

Don't forget to download the free"What's Hiding in My Harvest Dinner?"matching worksheet.

Kids can match foods to how they help their bodies and learn a little food science while they eat.

It's a fun way to start conversations about nutrition without making it feel like a lesson.

Yes. You can chop the vegetables up to 24 hours ahead and store them in the refrigerator. I like to keep my potatoes in water in the fridge- it prevents them from turning brown through oxidation and extracts excess surface starch, which helps with a crispier texture when cooked.

Absolutely. Just reduce the cooking time since pork tenderloin cooks faster than pork loin.

Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and Pink Lady all work well.

You can, but they add a wonderful sweet contrast to the savory pork and sweet potatoes. You can also top with pecans or cranberries for a slightly different flavor profile.

If you enjoyed this Harvest Dinner, be sure to check out my homemade bread recipes, including my experiments with baking bread right on the grill.

Keeping the heat outside means a cooler kitchen, less stress, and one less reason to turn on the oven during warm fall afternoons.