by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
Total Time
1 hours 20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
summary
Making a large roast can feel intimidating, but truly—it could not be simpler. A pork loin is a lean, flavorful cut that is perfect for roasting. The mustard in this recipe helps to add moisture, and the garlic and rosemary create a mouth-watering crust. Serve this rosemary and garlic roasted pork loin recipe with potato-leek gratin and a shaved brussels sprouts salad for the perfect Christmas dinner.
ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) pork loin
- 3 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using kitchen string, tie the roast at 2-inch intervals and place in a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mustard, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Using your hands, slather this all over the top and sides of the roast. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Let the pork loin rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve on a platter.
notes
Be sure not to confuse a pork loin with a pork tenderloin, which is much smaller and will cook significantly faster.
It is impossible to give an exact cooking time for a roast because they are inevitably all different sizes and thicknesses. Your best bet is to get a really good meat thermometer and start checking it at 1 hour and 10 minutes, then check every 15 minutes after that.
Ask your butcher to tie the roast with kitchen string. They are usually happy to do so!
The reason to use kitchen string is to create a roast with a more even thickness that therefore cooks more evenly.
When making this rosemary and garlic roasted pork loin recipe, make sure you save time for the meat to rest. This allows time for the juices to redistribute, giving you a much juicier roast.
