Roasted Pork Loin & Potatoes

This is definitely a "Sunday Dinner".  A classic meat and potato dinner that looks fancy.  Easy, but not super quick, yet still possible on a weeknight if you have the time. Overall it will probably take about an hour and a half with prep, cook and rest time.  Well worth it though.  When meat cooks a long time the heat breaks down and melts the fat so it isn't chewy.  Even my boyfriend Brendan who skeeves fatty pieces told me the crispy skin was delicious. 

I bought a full sized pork loin for $1.99/lb and it came in a cryovac of about 10 pounds.  I always cut this piece of meat into three different parts.  The fat end becomes the roast, the middle I cut into pork chops and the skinnier end piece becomes "pork tenderloins" (not because they are, just because I cut it into smaller pieces that resemble the tenderloin shape).  I bag them separate and freeze them. 

I will leave a good layer of fat on the roast piece and trim the rest of the loin accordingly.  Like I mentioned before, the long cook time and heat will melt the fat and help keep the meat juicy and flavorful over this long high cook time.  In the following pictures you can see a pretty presentation on the fat side because I "score" the fat.  Just make a deep cut in the fat layer in any design you like, I go for traditional crosshatch.

Ingredients

• About a 3lb pork loin roast
• 1 softball size onion, sliced
• 2 peppers of your choice, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon each of: salt, fresh pepper, thyme, rosemary & adobe seasoning
• Oil of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Slice and prep all your veggies. 
3. Take the pork loin and dry off with paper towels.  Slice the layer of fat with the design of your choice.  Rub the meat with all the spices.
4. I used a cast iron skillet, but use any skillet that will be able to go from the stove top to the oven.  Heat the oil in the pan on high heat (you don't have to use too much oil if you have a good layer of fat on the pork, just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet).  It will be hot enough when you see the oil rippling.
5. Sear the fat side first.  Sear each additional side until it's brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side.  You aren't trying to cook the meat, just brown it.
6. When all sides are brown (don't forget the ends, use tongs to help hold it up if needed), take the meat out of the pan, and drain off any excess oil, but leave about a 2 tablespoons in the pan.
7. Reduce the heat a bit (to about medium) and add all your veggies and garlic. Season with salt and pepper as well.
8. Cook for about 4 mins, just until soft.
9. Place the pork on top of the bed of veggies and pop into the oven.

Potatoes

• about 2lbs of potatoes, diced into similar sizes (Any kind of potato will do)
• 1 tablespoon of: salt, pepper, rosemary and adobo
• oil of your choice to coat

1. Combine all ingredients on a sheet pan and put in the oven with the pork.

Oven times will vary depending on the size and shape of the pork loin and the size of the potatoes.  When the potatoes are golden and brown they are done.  About 30-40 mins.  I had to remove the potatoes before the pork was done, but when the pork was resting I put them back in the oven for about 5 minutes to reheat.

I always have to use a meat thermometer to know when my meat is done.  Call it unprofessional, but I never overcook/undercook anything because of it.  I took out the meat when it reached about 155 degrees (about 30-45 mins) and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  Cover with tinfoil when resting (you do this before slicing so the juices have time to redistribute and not make a huge mess on your cutting board).


Slice and serve topped with the onions and peppers along side the potatoes.