This Pork loin roasted in the oven will give you the best tender, juicy and delicious pork. It’s a slightly different way of cooking pork but trust me, you will love the juicy and tender results!
Pork is a great holiday main course, you can also try my Stuffed Pork Loin or Roasted Garlic Pork Loin.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for a flavorful meal for your whole family, look no further. This pork loin recipe comes out so juicy and tender and really flavorful. Don’t skip the pan drippings gravy too! You can easily make it while the meat is resting.
This recipe is especially mouthwatering, featuring savory ingredients like garlic cloves, bay leaves, and Herbs de Provence. Trust me, everyone will be asking for seconds!
What is Pot Roasted Pork Loin?
While roasting traditionally means cooking with dry heat, uncovered, for a prolonged time, and at higher temperatures, this recipe is a little unusual. This pork loin is actually cooked at low temperature and in a pot.
Yes, it is still cooked in the oven but it’s a very different cooking technique that will result in an amazingly tender and juicy pork.
I’ve played around with many roasted pork recipes in my time and when I first learned about this one, I was intrigued. Normally, such a lean meat like pork is very easy to overcook. So when there is a promise of a cooking technique that will result in a juicy and tender meat, it is more than welcome.
This recipe is just perfect for a pork loin that will be tender and juicy. It will take about 2 hours to cook and you can turn the leftover vegetables and juices into the most amazing gravy!
Ingredient Notes
Pork Loin – Try to find a cut that is 4.5 lbs. and if you need slightly bigger or smaller, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Make sure that the meat is bright and pinkish red in coloring. Some marbling in the meat is also good! Fat can be very flavorful. With that in mind, avoid any meat that has dark spots on the fat.
Coarse Salt – Choose Kosher coarse salt or coarse sea salt, not table salt. Salt is extremely helpful in bringing the flavor into a mild tasting meat like pork. Salting pork for about 24 hours, will enhance the flavor of the meat greatly.
Oil – choose natural, mild tasting oils like avocado oil, vegetables oil, or olive oil.
Shallots – Shallots are a bit sweeter than most onions with a hint of garlic flavor. If you’re all out, use Vidalia onion and another garlic clove.
Apples – Apples are important for this recipe because they bring a touch of sweetness to the meat and compliment pork so well. Choose sweeter apples, not tart apples.
Garlic Cloves – Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. As long as your garlic bulb is heavy, firm and without any dark spots, your garlic cloves should be perfect.
Chicken Stock – It’s important to use chicken stock instead of broth for this recipe, because chicken stock tends to be fuller and richer in flavor.
Herbs and Seasoning – salt, black pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves, dried thyme, and Herbs de Provence.
Herbs de Provence – This seasoning is a mixture of multiple aromatic herbs and spices. It traditionally includes basil, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, marjoram and bay leaf.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
PRO TIP: don’t forget to save the pan juices after cooking the pork to make the pan drippings gravy!
How To Make Roasted Pork Loin
Cooking pork in the oven has never been so easy! It may look like a lot of steps but they are all simple.
Salt and Refrigerate! Tie the meat with kitchen twine – this ensures even cooking, and also prevents the meat from falling apart. Use a paper towel to pat the roast dry before applying salt. Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse salt all over the meat, evenly (1). Then, cover it air-tight and store the meat in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours.
Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. When ready to cook, remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temp for about 30-45 minutes before you cook it.
Add seasonings. Mix the seasoning, spread it in a rimmed baking sheet and roll the pork in the seasoning. Be sure to pat the seasoning on, don’t rub! (2)
Sear the meat and vegetables. Use a large Dutch Oven and preheat it over medium heat first. Add some oil when it’s hot. Lay the pork on the fatty side and sear it until deep golden brown. Once seared, use long metal tongs to flip it, and sear the other 2 sides (3). Don’t sear the bottom.
Once seared and browned, remove the pork from the pot and set aside. Then, add the vegetables to the pot and sauté them until golden brown.
Pour in the chicken stock and add in the thyme and bay leaves (4).
Cooking in the oven: Preheat the oven to 225°. Add the pork back into the Dutch oven, on top of the veggies. Cover the pot with foil and close the lid on top. Place it into the preheated oven.
Cook pork until it reaches 145°F internal temperature. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and check the very center of the thickest part of meat. Note: There is a cooking time breakdown in the recipe card.
Let the meat rest. Remove the pork loin from the oven, take off the ties, and let it rest for 15 minutes before you slice and serve it.
How To Make Gravy From Pan Drippings
- Prepare the Dutch oven. Place the Dutch oven where you cooked pork and all of the delicious leftovers onto the stovetop.
- Add flour to the pot. Stir the flour into the leftovers until fully combined.
- Pour in the chicken stock. Pour in the chicken stock nice and slow before adding salt and sugar to the mix.
- Combine all ingredients. Stir everything until it’s nice and thick. Then, pour the mixture into a blender and blend until you have smooth, delicious gravy
- Serve your gravy! Pour gravy over the pork loin, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
When making pork as a main course to be served with sides, estimate about 1/2 lb per person.
For those with bigger appetite or if you want to have leftovers, you can estimate up to 3/4 lb per person.
You can also get away with a little less meat per person if you serve hearty, filling sides.
Hearty and comforting – mashed potatoes, stuffing, cheesy potato casserole.
Creamy vegetable sides – creamy brussels sprouts, creamed spinach, green bean casserole.
Light vegetable sides – haricot verts, roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts.
For longer, thinner center cut – cook time will be about 20 minutes per lb. So a 4.5lb pork will take about 90 minutes.
For shorter, thicker cuts – cook time will be about 30 minutes per lb. So a 4.5lb pork will take about 135 minutes.
More Pork Recipes For Dinner
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Pot Roasted Pork Loin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4.5 lb pork loin, boneless
- 3 tbsp coarse salt
To Cook Pork:
- 2-3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 large shallots
- 2 apples
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
To Season Pork:
- 2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Gravy:
- vegetables and juices left from cooking pork
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- salt
Instructions
24 Hours Before Cooking:
- Unwrap the pork and pat it dry with a paper towel. For best results, tie the pork with cooking string. This will ensure even cooking.
- Place it inside a dish or a pan that is large enough to hold it comfortably and season with salt generously on all the sides. Pat the salt in rather than rub.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap to make sure it's air-tight and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.
Cooking Pork Loin:
- Take pork out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking and leave it on the counter.
- Take pork out onto the cutting board and evenly season it with Herbs de Provence, garlic powder, and pepper. (Remember, it's already salted.) Pat the seasoning in.
- Dice shallots and apples and set them aside. Smash and mince garlic and set it aside as well.
- Preheat the oven to 225° and move the oven rack to the middle of the oven so that closed Dutch oven fits well in the middle.
- Preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
- Add oil and spread it evenly. Sear pork fat side down first for a few minutes, until there is a nice sear on it. Then turn and sear the sides, one at a time, until there is a nice brown sear on the as well. Take pork out onto a large plate and set aide whole searing the vegetables. (Don't sear the bottom of pork loin.)
- Add a little more oil if needed and add onions and apples. Sauté for a few minutes, until start to get a golden sear on them.
- Add minced garlic, stir, and sauté for few seconds, until it's fragrant.
- Pour in chicken stock and add bay leaves and thyme.
- Place pork loin over the vegetable mixture, fat cap up. If you have a leave-in thermometer, insert it into the center of the pork, towards the middle.
- Cover the top with aluminum foil and then close the lid. Place it into the oven and let it cook until reaches 145° internal temperature.
- Approximate cooking time:For longer, thinner center cut – cook time will be about 20 minutes per lb. So a 4.5lb pork will take about 90 minutes.For shorter, thicker cuts – cook time will be about 30 minutes per lb. So a 4.5lb pork will take about 135 minutes.
- When the pork reaches the temperature, take it out of the oven and out of the pot. Place it on a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Let it rest for about 15 minutes. If it was tied, make sure to take off the string before resting.
Gravy:
- You'll be happy to know that the leftover vegetables and juices can be turned into the a delicious gravy.
- Place the Dutch oven with everything leftover from cooking pork on the stove and heat it up over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over the top and stir.
- Pour in chicken stock while slowly stirring. Make sure everything is mixed well and add the sugar, and some salt to taste.
- Bring everything to simmer and stir and simmer until it's thickened.
- Transfer the mixture into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the it until smooth.
- Serve with pork.
- After pork has rested, slice it and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in November, 2020.
Diane Auger Gentile says
Is 225 the correct temperature?
LyubaB says
Yes, 225 degrees is the correct temperature.
Candace says
This is the best pork loin recipe I have tried!!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Candace!
Pauline McNaught says
Spectacular! Will make again – the only way to do it in the oven from now on – otherwise we’ll be smoking this cut of meat outdoors. For us the apple was enough sweetness – we will omit the sugar in the gravy next time.
LyubaB says
Thank you, Pauline! I am glad you liked it!
Phillip says
Very good recipe, and easy to make.
LyubaB says
Thank you, Phillip!
Penny says
Fed a large gathering of friends with this recipe using 6 pounds of meat (two roasts in my oval enameled cast iron pan).
Your methods are terrific, great results. The gang loved it. Tender and flavourful. Great gravy – served the gravy from a tea pot. Easy to handle and keeps it warm.
LyubaB says
I am so happy to hear that and so happy you liked it! Thanks for the great comment! 🙂
Tutuapp says
This item was worth the try, loved it, 5/5.
Jason says
YUM YUM YUM!!!! A beautiful change to a normal sunday roast have never had celeriac before and it was really tasty in this dish cant wait to make again!
LyubaB says
So glad you liked it, Jason!