We’ve come to that odd phase in the year when it can get soft and springy in the afternoons but you still need a wool coat in the mornings. As the weather vacillates, so do your cravings, and the solution is pork tenderloin. Roast one up over the weekend, and when it’s cold and mean on Monday, serve it with some comforting sides like sautéed kale and baked sweet potatoes. But if it's warm on Wednesday, serve round two with something light like a salad of cous cous and baby peas. Then take a walk after dinner—it’s still light out.
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (1997)
Ingredients:
1 pork boneless tenderloin, approximately 1.5 to 2 lbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme, rosemary or tarragon (Or use fresh if you are lucky enough to have some on hand. I’ve used a combination of “Provencal -Frenchy” spices like thyme, sage and lavender. Try some variations and see what you prefer.)
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (1997)
Ingredients:
1 pork boneless tenderloin, approximately 1.5 to 2 lbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme, rosemary or tarragon (Or use fresh if you are lucky enough to have some on hand. I’ve used a combination of “Provencal -Frenchy” spices like thyme, sage and lavender. Try some variations and see what you prefer.)
Process:
Position the baking rack to the center of the oven.
Select a Pyrex dish that will accommodate the pork loin, but is neither too snug nor too spacious. (If the tenderloin roasts all alone in a large pan, the meat will cook too quickly and dry out—never a good thing in a roast.) For a 2-pound loin, I usually use a 9” x 9” baking pan.
Rub the tenderloin with the spice and olive oil mixture. Put in an oven pre-heated to 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250 and let it roast for 65 minutes. Slow cooking keeps the pork loin tender.
Remove from oven and loosely wrap the tenderloin in aluminum foil and let it sit for 15 minutes to complete cooking. You can slice it right then or gently reheat it later. To avoid dry slices, do not carve the roast until you are ready to serve it.
Position the baking rack to the center of the oven.
Select a Pyrex dish that will accommodate the pork loin, but is neither too snug nor too spacious. (If the tenderloin roasts all alone in a large pan, the meat will cook too quickly and dry out—never a good thing in a roast.) For a 2-pound loin, I usually use a 9” x 9” baking pan.
Rub the tenderloin with the spice and olive oil mixture. Put in an oven pre-heated to 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250 and let it roast for 65 minutes. Slow cooking keeps the pork loin tender.
Remove from oven and loosely wrap the tenderloin in aluminum foil and let it sit for 15 minutes to complete cooking. You can slice it right then or gently reheat it later. To avoid dry slices, do not carve the roast until you are ready to serve it.
