Roast Pork with roasted vegetables & herb potatoes

One of my favorite dinners to prepare that is super easy and elegant is a thick pork loin with roasted vegetables and potatoes.

**The trick to a achieving a moist juicy pork is to remove the pork from the oven when the internal temperature is between 132 degrees to 135 degrees. Allow the pork to rest on a serving platter covered or uncovered for 10-12 minutes. The internal temp will continue to climb to 142-145 degrees while the pork is resting - giving you a moist medium to slightly medium rare result. *If the internal temp goes higher than 145 degrees the pork might begin to get dry.

During the rest time I recommend roasting your vegetables and potatoes in the oven to get them crispy.

The best part of this particular dinner is it is a one pan recipe that is fantastic for any week night and especially for when you have company. Simply prepare your pork and vegetables 6 hours ahead and the rest is effortless - allowing you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine and conversation.

Ingredients:

3 lb pork loin (loin is thicker than a pork tenderloin and has a nice fat layer on the top)

4-5 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1-2 lbs. fingerling potatoes or small Yukon gold potatoes (cut in half)

1 lb carrots - sliced at an angle (I love the bags of multi colored carrots available today)

1 lb Brussels sprouts sliced in half and/or Broccolini

1 bulb roasted garlic - (for placing onto of pork before placing into the oven)

1 Tbsp. tubed garlic mash (located in the produce sections)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 Tbsp. low sodium Tamari

! Tbsp. salt & black pepper

Optional - 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

Begin by marinading the pork for 6 hours.

Method - using a large plastic bag pour 3 Tbsp. olive oil, the garlic mash, rosemary, thyme, Tamari, salt pepper and Dijon if using. Give the mix a quick stir then place your rinsed and pat dried pork into the plastic bag. Remove some of the air - then seal. Massage the marinade into the pork for 1-2 minutes. Place the pork into the refrigerator.

Essential - remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to your cook time in order for the pork to come up to room temperature. This will prevent the meat from being shocked when placed into the oven.

Quick Tip - You can prep your potatoes and vegetables ahead by placing them into a large plastic bag or in a large mixing bowl with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. If entertaining this will make your final prep very easy.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

When ready to cook - using a large roasting type pan - heat the pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil until it is hot. Place the pork fat side down and sear from 3 minutes. Turn the pork over and sear for 2 minutes more.

Quick Tip - you can scrap off some of the marinade and herbs from the pork if you wish - however leaving the marinade is just fine.

Remove the pork from the hot pan and set aside on a plate. Pour all the prepped vegetables into the hot pan and add a touch of salt and pepper. Give the vegetables a stir mixing the pork fat and olive oil. Do not add any more olive oil.

If you wish you can add new sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary along side the vegetables.

Place the pork onto the vegetables utilizing the vegetables as a rack. Take the roasted bulb of garlic (or use 1 Tbsp refrigerated garlic mash) and spread the garlic, as a paste, all over the top of the pork. Finish by sprinkling coarse salt if you have it on hand and fresh cracked black pepper.

Place the roasting pan into the oven (uncovered) for 50 minutes. Remove the pan after 50 minutes and using a meat thermometer check the internal temp. If the temp climbs higher than 135 degrees remove the pork and place on a platter. You may tent the pork with aluminum foil if you wish. If the temp is just below 132 degrees place back into the oven for 4-5 minutes only.

To finish the vegetables - toss the vegetables to mix all the oils and place back into the oven for 10 minutes. *If your vegetables are nice and crispy at this point turn the oven off and allow the vegetables to stay into the oven until your ready to carve the pork.

I recommend if entertaining arranging all the roasted vegetables along side the pork on a large platter. Slice the pork at the table when serving.

ENJOY!