Pork Loin Recipe

The perfect weekend meal, this pork loin recipe with veggies, takes just 10 minutes to prepare and an hour and a half in the oven. It'll warm your belly and fill you up in no time. This recipe from Melissa Olivieri of The Olive Blogger smothers the pork loin in flavorful spices and surrounds it with veggies. It serves 6-8 people, perfect for an evening with guests or leftovers when the family is done with dinner.

Many pork recipes call for spices such as garlic, cumin, or cardamom. Others pull from such flavor-infused techniques like Asian-brined or stuffed loin. There's even bourbon and dried plum-stuffed pork loin for those feeling adventurous. Olivieri's recipe draws up the tempting flavors of garlic, dried thyme and, surprisingly, apple cider vinegar. Check out her easy and delicious recipe that will become a staple in your kitchen. Your whole family is guaranteed to love it.

For Olivieri's delicious pork loin recipe, you'll need a 2-3 pound pork loin roast. If you opt to double the size of your roast, be sure to double the rest of the ingredients. You'll also need vegetable oil, kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, garlic cloves, a carrot, an onion, fresh or dried thyme, apple cider vinegar, water, and flour. This incredible recipe doesn't take much to create, which is perfect for those on a budget.

"If you are using a larger roast, you want to make sure you have enough seasoning to go on it," Olivieri said.

Some people believe you want to select a lighter-colored piece of pork from the grocery store, but you actually want it to be a pinkish color. The fat inside the cut of meat, marbling, is important, as it gives flavor to the meat when cooking and helps it become juicy and tender when it's done. "I like my pork loin to have a decent fat cap on it. When searing, this gets nice and crisp and continues to drop down the pork while roasting in the oven for the best flavor," Olivieri said.

Once the pan is heated, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and place the pork loin fat side down in the skillet. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes and flip, repeating until all four sides are seared. "By searing the roast first, we are able to create a nice crust and help seal in the juices before it goes into the oven to roast," Olivieri said.

The appearance of the food is usually improved with a browned crust, too. The result is a tender interior and a crispy exterior.

For the next step in this pork loin recipe, transfer the loin to a roasting pan, along with 1 sliced carrot, 1 sliced onion, and 6 garlic cloves. Add in one-fourth of a cup of water and one-fourth of a cup apple cider vinegar. Place the seared roast fat side up in the pan. "The apple cider vinegar just helps to add another dimension of flavor to the roast, and apples and pork are a match made in heaven. If you don't have apple cider vinegar on hand, you can substitute vegetable broth," Olivieri said

Leave the roast in the oven for one hour or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

After removing the juicy roast from the oven, allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the abundance of juices to settle.

"This is all about keeping the juices in — juices equal flavor. If you cut into the roast when it first comes out, all the juices will seep out and leave you with a drier pork loin," Olivieri explained of this pork loin recipe.

Another important reason to let the roast rest: It gives you time to make homemade gravy. Take the roast and set it on a serving plate because you'll need the juices from the pan.

While the pork loin recipe is resting and soaking up flavor, prepare the pan to make gravy. In a small dish, mix together one-fourth cup of flour with one cup of cold water and whisk until smooth. Put the roast pan on the stovetop and turn the burner to medium heat. Add in the flour-water mixture and use a fork to scrape loose all of the browned bits from across the pan.

Allow the savory mixture to reach a low boil and continue stirring for another minute. Voila, you have homemade pan gravy! Pour it in a dish and turn your attention back to the roast.

"It is so incredibly easy that I am honestly shocked when people tell me they use gravy from a can or package. Homemade is always better and so easy to make," she said.

In the meantime, whip up a hearty side dish of mashed potatoes, and pour the homemade pan gravy over the mountain of potatoes you scoop onto each dinner plate. Gently slice the pork loin recipe and lay it on the plate, too. Some people prefer to scoop up a forkful of roast with the mashed potatoes and gravy, while others prefer to keep their servings separate. Roasted veggies also pair well with the pork loin, too, Olivieri said.

"I love mashed potatoes with mine, probably because I am addicted to the flavorful pan gravy and pour it on my potatoes as well. As for roasted vegetables, you can stick with classic root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, etc., or go further into the rainbow with carrots, broccoli, peppers, and other veggies," she said.