Cooking Pork Loin

Pork loin is one of the leanest meats and it is as low in saturated fat as chicken breasts, according to National Pork Producer's comparison chart. It is the cut of meat from above the rib cage of a pig, along both sides of the backbone and running from the shoulders to the hind legs. This is the tender most part, along with being the lean part. When you go to the butcher to buy pork loin, you will have to be specific of the cut you want, as pork loin normally refers to a wholesale cut. When cooking pork loin in oven or otherwise, utmost care should be taken, that the meat is not overcooked. Since they are a lean piece of meat, overcooking normally tends to dry them out. However, you will also have to make sure you cook it thoroughly. In other words, you will have to find the fine balance between too much and too little cooking, when you are cooking pork roast.

How to Cook Pork Loin Roast

Marinating and seasoning pork loin can made it more flavorful. So that you do not overcook or under-cook the meat, it is a good idea to use a meat thermometer, to test whether it is done. If you choose to cut into the meat to test for color change, it will cause good juices to run out of the meat and your pork loin may not be as flavorful.

In Oven
In this pork recipe, we will read on cooking boneless pork loin roast. Roast is a cut of pork loin, which you will have to tell the butcher, when you go to buy meat. Let's see how to cook pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

• Garlic 4 cloves
• Dried rosemary 2 tbsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Freshly coarse ground pepper 1 tsp
• Boneless pork loin roast 2 pounds
• Olive oil 1/3 cup
• Red wine 2/3 cup

Method

• You will have to preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mince garlic cloves and place in a small bowl.
• Add rosemary, salt and pepper to the minced garlic and mix thoroughly.
• Using a fork or knife pierce the meat at a number of places.
• Then rub garlic mixture over the meat and make sure you press some mixture into the cuts you just made on the meat.
• Brush the meat with olive oil.
• Place the meat into a baking dish.
• Cook the meat for about 2 hours, but turn it once during the time.
• Baste the meat with pan drippings.
• With 10 minutes of cooking time left, pour half of the wine on pork loin.
• Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the baking pan onto a serving platter.
• Pour the other half of the wine into the baking pan and stir it in with the pan drippings.
• Then pour this mixture over the meat and serve pork loin roast.

Pork Loin Chops
This is an easy recipe to make moist, delicious and tender pork chops.

Ingredients

• Pork loin chops 4 thick
• Onion (peeled and sliced) 1
• Water 1 cup
• Salt as per taste
• Freshly ground pepper as per taste

Method

• To make pork loin chops, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place roasting rack over a shallow baking dish.
• Rub salt and pepper on the chops, place them on the rack and cover the chops with onion slices.
• Pour water at the bottom of the pan, but make sure the water does not touch the chops.
• Cover the chops with foil or tight lids and roast the chops for about an hour.
• Turn the chops and let them cook for another 15 minutes.
• Then remove the foil or lid and place the chops again in the oven to brown slightly for 15 to 20 minutes, but take care that the chops do not burn.

In Crock Pot
With this slow cooker pulled pork recipe, we will make glazed pork loin roast in a slower cooker. The roast will be glazed with cherry jam and herb mixture. You can use the same method to cook cooking pork ribs as well.

Ingredients

• Pork loin boneless roast 3 pounds
• Condensed chicken broth 1 can
• Green onion bunch (green, sliced in 1 inch length) 1 bunch
• Wine vinegar 3 tbsp
• Dried rosemary 1 tsp
• Seasoned pepper ¼ tsp
• Cherry jam 1 cup

Method

• Clean and place pork loin in crock pot.
• Mix condensed chicken broth, onion, wine vinegar, rosemary, pepper in a mixing bowl.
• Pour the mixture over the meat.
• The cooking time for pork loin in a slow cooker is about 8 to 10 hours on low.
• Just before you are going to serve turn slow cooker on to high and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove roast from the crock pot onto the serving platter.
• Mix cherry jam and juices in slow cooker and serve over pork.

On Grill
In the summers, grilling meat is a common activity, especially grilling pork chops on the grill. However, in the winter months, you do not have to stay away from your favorite recipe, you can broil meat during the winter months, using this pork loin roast recipe.

Ingredients

• Boneless pork loin 2 to 3 lb
• Salt 2 tbsp
• Sugar ½ cup
• Hot water 1 ½ cups
• Cold water 1 ½ cups
• Garlic cloves 3
• Brown sugar 1 tbsp
• Ginger 2 tbsp
• Onion (finely chopped) 2 tbsp
• Chili powder 1 tsp
• Sesame oil 1 tbsp

Method

• In the hot water combine salt and sugar. Continue to stir till well combined.
• Then add cold water to the hot water mixture.
• Now add brown sugar, ginger, onions, chili powder and sesame oil to the water and mix well.
• Rub the mixture on the meat piece and then place the meat in the mixing bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours. For best results, leave the meat in the refrigerator overnight.
• Brush the grill with oil, once the grill is heated.
• Now place pork loin in the heated grill.
• Every 45 minutes, roll the meat over to the next side till cooked thoroughly. Normally for a medium-sized cut is 1 hour 30 minutes. Add 20 minutes for a larger roast and reduce 20 minutes for a smaller roast.

There are pork loin marinade recipe, which you can choose from, when you are cooking pork loin in oven. Like I have mentioned, the pork loin cooking time, is dependent on the size of the roast. Bigger the roast, more will be the time required and vice-versa. I hope you enjoy the barbecue season to the fullest!