Herb Roasted Pork Loin
For a change of pace, but a very easy change, try serving this gorgeous, moist, flavorful pork roast. I’ll serve it for Easter meal along with my mother’s famous Avocado Bacon Deviled Eggs, Berries and Nuts Spinach Salad and this fabulous Lemony Lemon Cake. I’ve got your covered here on the blog!
This recipe is a one-pot affair if you use your 12-inch Dutch oven or other cast-iron pot. I first sear the pork in olive oil and then smear a Dijon mustard, garlic, shallot, oil paste all over the pork which infuses fabulous flavor into the meat while it roasts. The fresh herbs are placed below and on top of the roast before putting in the oven.
All it takes is an hour of roasting time, then sitting on your cutting board for about 20 minutes before you can slice and serve. I create a delicious sauce from the pot residue that is infused with the aromatic herbs. I call this pure comfort food.
- Herb Roasted Pork Loin
- 1 (4-to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
- 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
- 6 rosemary sprigs, divided
- 8 large thyme sprigs, divided
- 8 sage sprigs, divided
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
- Pat pork dry and season with 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron pot placed over medium-high heat. Place pork in pot and brown on all sides, then transfer to a large plate. Arrange half of herbs in middle of pot.
- Stir together shallots, garlic, mustard, and 1 tablespoon oil and smear over top and sides of roast, then put roast, fat side up, on top of herbs. Toss remaining herbs with remaining teaspoon oil and arrange on top of roast. Cover and roast 1 hour. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 to 145°F, then transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 to 25 minutes. (temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees as it rests).
- Make sauce while pork rests:
- Discard herbs from pot. Heat pot on stove on medium-high heat. Add broth and mustard and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-cup measure. If you have more than 1 1/2 cups, boil to reduce; if less, add water. Melt butter in pot, then whisk in flour until well blended and golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve pork with sauce.