Pork Loin Roast

A savory Pork Loin that’s pan seared, coated with herbs and garlic then oven baked at a lower temperature for a tender, juicy end result. And then it’s finished with a delicious, simple gravy for extra flavor.

Do you have a pork tenderloin instead of the loin? Try my tasty baked Pork Tenderloin recipe instead.

Easy Pork Loin Roast

A simple method and recipe for pork loin that’s perfect for weekends and holidays!

Pork loin is inexpensive and easy to prepare. It has a light flavor and it adapts well to so many seasonings.

One of my favorites is with fresh herbs and garlic like we use here.

It roasts up beautifully. And personally I think finishing it with a little gravy made with the pan drippings is the only way to go. It just adds that much more flavor.

Just be sure to monitor the temperature of the roast and let rest before carving so the moisture is retained in the meat.

Difference Between Pork Loin, Pork Tenderloin and Pork Shoulder

Pork Loin:

• This a wider and thicker cut than a tenderloin.
• It is cut from the pigs back.
• You can buy it boneless or bone-in. Here we use boneless.
• There is a fat cap covering the length of one side (which should remain during cooking to help moisten the meat).
• The remainder of the meat is fairly lean.
• It has a mild flavor.
• When cooked properly it should be tender. It is best seared then cooked low and slow for most tenderness.

Pork Tenderlion:

• One of the biggest differences is that a pork tenderloin is a smaller, thinner and more narrow.
• This cut cooks faster and can be cooked over higher temperatures.
• It is the muscle that runs along the backbone of a pig and is cut from the loin.
• It’s of the most tender cut of pork and also has a mild flavor.
• Pork tenderloin has a silverskin that should be trimmed before cooking.
• This cut is also fairly lean so be careful not to overcook.

Pork Shoulder:

• This is cut right from the upper portion of the shoulder of a pig.
• It is a generally wider, larger cut, rather than longer like the other two.
• This portion is more flavorful than the loin portions.
• It’s well marbled with fat throughout and has a lot of connective tissue.
• It is best cooked low and slow since it is tougher.

Note that the three cuts of pork should never be used interchangeably.

Pork Loin Recipe Ingredients

• Pork Loin: You can use a 3 – 4 lb loin here. 3 lbs will bake closer to the lesser time the 4 lb closer to the greater time.
• Olive oil: You’ll need this to sear the roast and coat the garlic and herbs.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Table salt or kosher salt work well. I like a fair amount of pepper with pork.
• Thyme, rosemary and sage: Fresh are best but dried will work fine too. You can look for a package of fresh poultry herbs which should have a blend of the three herbs.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic for best flavor.
• Lemon zest or orange zest: This is an optional ingredient for a little extra flavor.
• Butter: Olive oil will work fine too. This is just used to make the roux for the gravy.
• Flour: This helps thicken the gravy.
• Low-sodium chicken broth: Needed for base for the gravy to add some extra flavor and moisture to the pork. Don’t sub water.
• Heavy cream: This is completely optional. It just adds some extra creaminess to the gravy.

Scroll below for recipe with ingredient amounts and print option.

How to Prepare and Bake Pork Loin Roast

1. Heat oven and skillet: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat (I like to use cast iron for nice browning).
2. Dry exterior of roast: Dab pork loin dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear in oiled skillet: Heat 1 Tbsp oil in skillet and brown pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side (8 minutes total).
4. Place pork in roasting pan: Transfer pork to a roasting pan. Let cool a few minutes so it’s not too hot to handle.
5. Mix seasonings and oil: Meanwhile in a small bowl stir together remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil with thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic and lemon zest.
6. Coat roast with garlic-herb mixture: Using hands, spread mixture over roast (on all sides, note it doesn’t stick perfectly well and that’s ok if some falls from the sides, just sneak it under the roast to season it). Roast should be fat side up for baking.
7. Insert oven thermometer: Insert an oven probe thermometer (I love this one) into center of middle area pork loin (if you don’t have one use a standard probe thermometer to test temperature occasionally).
8. Bake until cooked through: Cook pork in preheated oven until center of mid area registers 145 degrees on thermometer, about 50 – 70 minutes.
9. Rest before carving: Remove from oven, transfer to carving board. Tent roast with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

How to Make the Gravy

1. Make roux in saucepan: In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 1/2 minutes, whisking constantly.
2. Add broth and drippings: While whisking slowly pour in chicken broth and drippings from roasting pan (you should have a few tablespoons, scrape up browned bits). Let cook until thickened, stirring frequently.
3. Season and add cream: Season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir heavy cream in at the end if using.
4. Spoon gravy over slices.

Pork Loin Slow Cooker Method

• You could also cook this in a slow cooker instead of the oven.
• Instead of rubbing pork roast with herbs just add the browned pork, 1 cup chicken broth, herbs, garlic, zest and also 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a 6 quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heat 7 to 8 hours until tender.
• Use 1 cup broth from slow cooker to make the gravy.

Safe Temperature for Pork Loin

• A pork loin should be cooked to 145 degrees in the center of the loin.
• A slightly pink color is fine with pork as long as it has been cooked to the proper temperature.

Helpful Tips

• Don’t skip searing the pork loin for that extra added layer of flavor. It also seasons the drippings.
• Also it’s helpful to dry first with paper towels to remove extra moisture from exterior so it browns better.
• Test temperature with a thermometer for doneness rather than guessing or basing it off color.
• Careful not to over-cook or it starts to dry.
• Let rest before carving to allow juices to evenly distribute so they don’t just end up on the carving board.

What to Serve with Pork Loin

• Corn on the cob
• Mashed Potatoes
• Lemon Roast Potatoes
• Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
• Roasted Autumn Vegetables
• Steamed or roasted green beans

 

More Delicious Pork Recipes to Try

• Baked Pork Tenderloin
• Island Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Pork Chops
• Pork Chops with Apples
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches