Rosemary Garlic Roasted Pork Loin

Imagine this: It’s a few days post Thanksgiving. You’ve eeked all you can out of the leftovers, and still you have to feed the troops. Dinner sure ain’t gonna make itself, but the thought of doing the full-court press in the kitchen, so soon after Turkey Day, is just a bit too much for you to bear.

I am so with you.

That’s why I’m posting this simply divine recipe for Rosemary Garlic Roasted Pork Loin now. Today. You’re going to need some inspiration when the going gets tough and the tough (that’s you) is still standing shell-shocked in the kitchen scraping sweet potato off the cabinets.

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Pork Loin. Sounds fussy, right? Complicated. Time-consuming. None of the above, thank you! Just a few fresh ingredients, 10 minutes of prep, then some time in the oven, and you’ve got yourself a juicy roast that’ll have your family drifting dream-like towards the kitchen, murmuring “What’s that smell? It’s amazing.”

At least, that is what happened at my house. I was so happy with how this turned out, and so was every single person at the table. I will definitely be making this again and again over the winter. Simple enough for any day, but fancy enough for Sunday dinner. WIN!

NOTES: I used a 2.5 pound pork loin, but you could also use a couple of pork tenderloins as well, adjusting the cooking time down as needed. I used fresh rosemary as well, which I think are critical to the taste and aroma. However, if all you have is dried rosemary, than use that, but just in half the amount. Either way, go for it! You will love this.

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Pork Loin
Serves 6-8

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: ~45-50 minutes

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 pork loin, about 2.5 pounds, trimmed of fat

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a small roasting pan with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Stir to combine. Rub one side of the pork loin with about half of the rosemary-garlic mixture, pressing the herbs firmly into the meat. Place the meat herb side down on the prepared pan. Then, rub the top half of the meat with the remainder of the mixture, again pressing the herbs firmly into the meat on the top and sides.

Roast first for 30 minutes, then turn the meat over and roast for another 20-30 minutes. The meat is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 155 degrees F.