pork out

roasted pork loin

earthy, succulent and juicy, infused with a trio of fresh herbs and drizzled with a flavorful pan sauce

4 garlic cloves, peeled

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus a few whole sprigs

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup dijon mustard

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 3-pound boneless pork loin, trimmed and tied

a few sprigs fresh rosemary

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3/4 cup chicken stock

with mortar and pestle, pound garlic with 3/4 tablespoon kosher salt to a paste. add thyme leaves, parsley, dijon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a few grinds of pepper, and stir to combine (you can also make marinade in food processor.)

slather half of marinade over pork, reserving other half. cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to overnight. take pork out of refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. season with salt and pepper and allow to sit at room temperature for another 30 minutes. 

preheat oven to 325 degrees.

heat a large pan over high heat. add 2 tablespoons olive oil, wait until pan is extremely hot, then sear pork on all sides until caramelized, about 10 minutes (don't rush this step or turn meat too quickly or else it will stick to pan.)

transfer pork to roasting rack set over roasting pan. spread with reserved marinade. scatter thyme and rosemary sprigs on top and dot with 3 tablespoons butter. roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat reaches 135 degrees, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes (all ovens are different, so cooking time may vary.) cover pork loosely with foil and let rest at least 15 minutes. discard herb sprigs and remove strings before slicing.

while pork is roasting, return searing pan to stove over medium-high heat. wait a minute or two, then deglaze with chicken stock. bring to boil, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter.

just before serving, add any juices meat gave off during roasting/resting to pan sauce. bring to boil, reduce until slightly thickened, and spoon over slices of pork.