Roast Pork Loin Recipe
Published September 29, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This perfect roast pork loin recipe is basted in herb butter and finished with a mustard cherry sauce for the ultimate meal. You will be blown away by the rich flavors in this pork recipe.
There is nothing better than tender, juicy, delicious, cooked pork, and the best part is that it’s still decently affordable. If you feel the same way, please try my Southern Fried Pork Chops or Breaded Pork Chops.
Roasted Pork Loin
Roast pork loin is a simple dish where a large pork loin weighing 2 pounds or more is roasted until the desired internal temperature is achieved. A pork loin is a long wide cut that is between the back and ribs. It can be boneless or bone-in. When slicing the loin into individual cuts, it will render pork chops.
There are many ways to prepare a pork loin, and roasting them is a great easy way to do so. These procedures of dry brining and basting in herb butter will render a flavorful, juicy, tender pork loin every single time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork – You will use a boneless pork loin for this recipe.
- Herbs – I used a combination of fresh rosemary and thyme, which is used for the basting butter.
- Onions – Shallots and garlic are used for the butter and sauce. You can substitute the shallot for a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking so that I control the salt content.
- Mustard – You will need whole-grain mustard for this recipe. I like the brand Maille.
- Cherries – Use dried tart cherries. You can try and use pitted fresh cherries.
- Stock – You will need a good beef stock for the sauce.
How to Make a Roasted Pork Loin
Start by trussing the pork loin. See the video below on how to do this.
Place the trussed pork loin on a sheet tray with a rack and generously season it on all sides with salt and pepper. Put the pork on the rack in the refrigerator uncovered for 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
Make the herb butter by whipping the softened unsalted butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy. Turn the speed to low and add in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper until combined. Set it aside.
In a large sauté pan with olive oil, heat it over high heat until it begins to smoke. Place the pork into the pan, fat cap side down, turn the heat down to medium, and sear for 3-4 minutes or until well browned.
Give the pork a quarter turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned. Repeat the process on the direct other side until well browned. Turn the pork to seared fat cap side up, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 1 minute.
Add in 3 tablespoons of the herb butter.
Baste the pork with a large spoon for 3 to 4 minutes.
Place the pork in the oven at 300° and cook for 32-35 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 130° to 135°.
Set the pork on a plate or cutting board and rest for 15 minutes.
Drain half the fat from the pan and return the pan to a burner over medium heat. Stir in the shallot and cook sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Optionally deglaze with red wine and cook until only 2 to 3 tablespoons remain.
Deglaze with the beef stock and cook over high heat for 2-4 minutes or until the amount of liquid is reduced by 2/3.
Stir in the mustard, dried cherries, herb butter, salt, and pepper.
Slice the pork and serve with the sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: While this is meant to be eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven and is sliced, you can make this 30 minutes ahead of time while keeping it warm in an oven at 165°. You can only do this if you prefer the pork loin to be well done internally.
How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Please note that reheating pork will cause it to overcook immediately. The best way to heat it is in a pan or a sheet tray lined with parchment paper in the oven at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until warm. Heat the sauce separately in a small saucepot over low heat until warm.
Chef Notes + Tips
- It’s important to rest this pork, or any protein, after cooking to allow for the juices to soak back into it, making it more flavorful.
- If the herbs and spices start to burn in the pan, then turn the heat down more. It will just take a few more minutes to cook.
- To serve the pork loin at a medium internal temperature, you will want to take it out of the oven when it reaches 135°. With carry-over cooking, the pork will advance in temperature while resting at or above 140° to 145°, making it a perfect medium internal temperature.
- You will have some herb butter leftover to use in another recipe later. The butter freezes well.
More Pork Recipes
Video
Roast Pork Loin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound pork loin
- 2 sticks softened unsalted butter
- 6-8 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ peeled small diced shallot
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
- ½ cup dried tart cherries
- Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by trussing the pork loin. See the video below on who to do this.
- Place the trussed pork loin on a sheet tray with a rack and generously season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Put the pork on the rack in the refrigerator uncovered for 24 hours and up to 48 hours. This process is known as dry brining.
- Make the herb butter by whipping the softened unsalted butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Turn the speed to low and add garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper until combined. Set it aside.
- In a large 12” inch sauté pan with olive oil, heat it over high heat until it begins to smoke.
- Place the pre-seasoned pork into the pan fat cap side down turn the heat down to medium, and sear for 3-4 minutes or until well browned.
- Give the pork a quarter turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned. Repeat the process on the direct other side until well browned.
- Turn the pork to seared fat cap side up turn the heat down to low, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in ½ of the herb butter.
- Once it’s melted, baste the pork with a large spoon for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Place the pork on the middle rack in the oven at 300° and cook for 32-35 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°. This will render a medium internal temperature.
- Once it’s done cooking, set the pork on a plate or cutting board and rest for 15 minutes.
- While it’s resting, drain half the fat from the pan and return the pan to a burner over medium heat.
- Stir in the shallot and cook sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add the wine and cook until 2 to 3 tablespoons are remaining.
- Deglaze with the beef stock and cook over high heat for 2-4 minutes or until the amount of liquid is reduced by 2/3. It should be thicker, like a gravy.
- Finish by stirring in the mustard, dried cherries, 1 tablespoon of the herb butter, salt and pepper.
- Slice the pork and serve with the sauce.
This was absolutely delicious! The pork was so tender & juicy, & the gravy so tasty. The herb butter was fabulous and I’m glad there’s plenty left to use. It was a really simple dish to prepare. Just have to read ahead to allow the time to dry brine the pork. The only thing was reducing the sauce after adding 3 cups of broth. It didn’t reduce in 4 mins and instead took probably 3 times that amount of time, & I finally ended up thickening it a bit with a small amount of cornstarch slurry. But this is definitely in the rotation & would be a lovely dinner to serve company.
We made this for a friend’s birthday dinner and it was fabulous! Really juicy and full of flavor, and made for an elegant dinner. I’m so glad we had some of the luscious herb butter left over! Thanks for this delicious recipe. It’s become my favorite way to cook a loin.
P.S., Chef, I think some of the previous reviewers were confused on this cut of pork. It’s a pork loin , not a pork tenderloin (smaller and usually 2 pieces in the package)!
Appreciate you giving it a try!
Fantastic! Very easy to follow and make, but it is excellent. Use the Cabernet Sauvignon, I can’t imagine the sauce without it. I didn’t have any butchers twine but my loin was pretty even in size all the way down and across, so it was fine without it. So juicy.
I love your recipes, they make me feel almost like a chef -they are so good, and I amaze myself that I can turn out a meal like this.
Thanks for giving it a shot!
hi chef
went to 4 food stores but could only find a lb. & a 3rd size loin, i’ll cut recipe in half
(fine for me, cooking for one) do I still have to truss this size? appreciate your attention to detail. Very Helpful.
I would
It was absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing it! You made me look good!
Thank you for giving it a shot!
I made this for a dinner with 14 people. It was a big hit with tender meat and a great sauce. Following the chef’s directions could not be clearer and easier. I have tried several recipes and they make me look like a great cook. In fact, I am great at following directions. Billy Parisi is my go-to chef for new ideas and recipes.h
Appreciate you giving it a try!
I love your cooking Billy….
delicious!!