Last updated on December 14, 2020 by Liza Hawkins
Roast pork loin is so easy to make and so yummy to eat! Make sure to pair it with easy homemade gravy and mashed potatoes. We all have our favorite birthday meals growing up, varying from simple (delivery PIZZA!!!!) to ornate (reservations at the fanciest French restaurant in D.C.).
For years I asked for the same thing.
Birthday after birthday it was always pork roast with mashed potatoes and gravy.
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It’s the type of meal, like roast chicken, that feels like home.
It’s a comfort food like no other.
Well, except for maybe fried chicken, meatloaf, or a big plate of pasta—what can I say?
I find comfort in a lot of different foods. Ha-ha!
My ALDI has half pork loins for a really great price, a nearly four-pound roast for about seven dollars. Sometimes less expensive.
That sucker feeds us for two dinners — with leftovers — and it’s sooooo good.
Once I’m home from grocery shopping, I split it in half to roast one within a day or two, and then freeze the other for later.
I look for a pork loin that has a good amount of fat on top because it lends itself to keeping the meat moist, and also to making that delicious, mouthwatering crust on top after it’s done roasting.
What’s great about things like roast pork loin is that even though they may take a while to cook, they’re basically a “set it and forget it” type of recipe, which for me works well on weeknights when we’re not running around.
I can get other stuff done after work around the house, while the food does its thing in the oven and makes my house smell savory and delicious.
Roasting Pork Loin
In terms of a pork loin, roasting times can vary.
To be honest, I don’t even watch the time anymore since I use a leave-in probe thermometer like this one to tell me when the meat reaches a healthy temperature.
For pork, that number’s about 150°F (actually you can go as low as 145°F and be safe — the guidelines were changed recently), and it’ll raise a few more degrees while it rests before carving.
For this size, it’s roasting usually takes about an hour.
What you don’t want is overdone, dry pork roast, and the leave-in probe thermometer is key to ensuring that doesn’t happen.
Juicy, tender pork roast with a mouthwatering crust.
Mmm…
Here are some kitchen tools I use to make roast pork loin:
Roast Pork Loin
Roast pork loin is so easy to make and soooooo yummy to eat!
Ingredients
- 1 1.5 to 2 pound pork loin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/8 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a roasting rack into a baking dish (adjusted to fit the roast snugly), then add about 1" of water to the bottom. Set it aside.
- Pat the pork loin dry. Combine the rest of ingredients to make a paste (it's okay if it's a little runny), and then rub it into the pork loin on all sides.
- Place the pork loin roast into the roasting rack fat side up, insert a leave-in probe thermometer set to sound an alarm at 150°F, and let the pork loin roast until done—about an hour.
- Set the pork roast on a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving into slices.
Notes
Play around with the spices in the paste! Some of my favorite additions are turmeric, Dijon mustard, dried mustard, fresh herbs, or honey.
Recommended Products
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Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized 16-Inch Roasting Pan with Nonstick Rack -
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