Garlic Butter Herbed Pork Loin

   

I don't know about you, but I like to cook a roast dinner of some sort at the weekend.  I had a pork rib loin roast in the freezer that I wanted to use up. I thought this week would be an excellent time to do so. 

We are all tired of turkey and beef and ham.  Pork is a break from all the holiday meals we were enjoying in December. It is both delicious and comforting.  Today's pork is also very lean when compared to the pork of yesteryear! 

 

Roasted to perfection, this delicious garlic and butter herbed pork loin makes a delicious option for your Sunday dinner, or for any special occasion really.  Not only is it tender, flavor-filled and moist, but it comes with its own roasted vegetables on the side.

All you need to cook in addition to what you see here is perhaps some potatoes or rice. I didn't even bother with that. I had plenty on my plate regardless to having any starch. As a diabetic I don't always need the carbs! 

 

 

As you can see it basically cooks in one dish.  Meat and vegetables. Nothing could be easier.  All are coated with a delicious mix of herbs, and garlic.

They are also dotted with butter, ensuring extra tastiness!  Chicken stock helps to keep everything moist and also provides plenty of pan juices to make a tasty gravy! 

 

There is also no need to sear or brown the meat ahead of time.  Simply pop everything into your roasting tin/dish and pop it into the oven.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO COOL GARLIC BUTTER HERBED PORK LOIN 

 

Nothing too out of the ordinary, that's what.  Simple ingredients done well. The deliciousness of this easy speaks for itself.  

For the meat and vegetables:

• 2-3 lb boneless pork loin roast, with a thin cap of fat
• 1 small turnip (swede/rutabaga) peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices on the diagonal
• 2 small cabbage, trimmed and cut into thick wedges
• 4-5 cloves cloves peeled and minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried summer savory (if you can't find it use marjoram)
• 1 tsp dried sage leaves
• 1 tsp paprika
• Kosher or sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock 

For the gravy: 

2 TBS butter

2 TBS flour

2 cups (480ml) of pan juices and stock to make up the full amount

 

This always turns out fabulously tasty. That mix of herbs goes wonderfully with everything and what can I say about garlic and pork?  It is a marriage made in heaven!

The vegetables are nice and tender and are all things which also go very well with pork.  I adore the combination of pork and cabbage.  They are also nice made into a hash with the leftover cooked pork in the following days. 

 

HOW TO MAKE GARLIC BUTTER HERBED PORK LOIN

I love roast dinners like this. There is only a very simple preparation needed. The dinner basically cooks itself! 

You will need to preheat your oven to 425*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 7. Have ready a roasting tin/casserole large enough to hold the meat and vegetables. 

 

I like to cut criss-cross slashes in the fat on top of the meat. This helps the flavors of the garlic and the herbs to get right into the meat, adding to its deliciousness.

Place your meat in the center of the roasting tin, arranging the vegetables on either side. Sprinkle the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper evenly over everything.

 

Dot with the butter. Pour the chicken stock into the pan. I pour the stock down the side edge so as not to disturb the butter, garlic and herbs.  Cover the whole dish tightly with aluminum foil.

 

Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Uncover. Reduce the oven temperature to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3.

 Continue to roast for a further 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the pork juices run clear, the vegetables are tender and the pork registers an internal temperature of 145*F/63*C.

 

Remove the pork and vegetables to a platter. Tent with foil and set aside to keep warm.  Resting the meat like this helps any juices to be reabsorbed, keeping your meat moist and tender.

Skim fat from the pan juices and add stock to the amount needed to make the gravy. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly stir in the pan juices/stock. 

 

Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook for several minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and black pepper.  

I did not need any additional seasoning at all. 

Serve the meat, cut into thick slices, along with a portion of vegetables for each person and some of that delicious gravy spooned over top. 

As you can see the meat is deliciously moist and tender. So are the vegetables.  Both together are comfort food bliss.   All you really need on the side, if anything, are some potatoes or some rice.

Nobody needs to know how easy this was to prepare. You could actually throw some medium sized baking potatoes into the oven along side of the roast for the last hour and a  half of cooking if you wanted to.

Just wash them really well, prick with a fork and place them into the oven right on the oven rack. Again, easy peasy.

Simple. Easy. Delicious.  Who could ask for anything  more than that!

 

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