Pork Loin

[Raspberrymocha55]

What do you do with a loin? I've stuffed them, braised, baked, grilled and pulled them. Today I am poking in bay leaf and garlic, rubbing it with more garlic, celery salt, cracked pepper and olive oil, then throwing onion, celery, carrot and new potatoes and crocking it. I've found olive oil rub keeps it from getting so dry. I always make gravy with drippings. Gravy is the important part for me. The meat is secondary.

 

[Andy M.]

I don't cook loins so much anymore. They're too lean. To me they are an oven roast rather than a candidate for braising. You cut it flat so it could be stuffed and rolled jelly roll style. The choice of stuffings is endless.

You could also slice it into chops. Thin ones for pan frying, thicker ones for stuffing or grilling.

 

[pacanis]

I like turning loins into Canadian bacon. Or slicing for schnitzel, pork picatta or some other dish where a chop without the bone works. And then there's Ol Blue's melt in your mouth pork loin...

 

[Dawgluver]

I got a recipe that came with one of my CPs. I think I posted it here, will look. Ha! Found the booklet! Basically, it calls for sticking slivered garlic in slits cut into the pork loin, rub with S&P, put 1T soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, a clove, and 1/2 cup water, which is then placed on a bed of 2 sliced onions on the bottom of the CP. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours, or on high 5- 6 hours, until tender. It's really good!

You can brown the roast first, I didn't.

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

That's what I do, as that's what mom did. We prefer butt/shoulder roasts and steaks due to the marbling and taste. I buy whatever is cheap, and a whole boneless loin was only $1.79 lb. Butt roasts were $3.99 lb. I also butterfly loins and stuff with ham, whole Italian sausage and mozarella. Tie it and roast. My butcher calls them "Al Capone roasts." pretty when sliced to serve.

 

[Oldvine]

The only thing I remember about the last pork loin I cooked was that it turned out so dry my family didn't like it at all....too lean.
I've been sticking slivered garlic into meat slits my entire life as did my dad that cooked the meat at home when I was growing up. Mother was a vegetarian, father a carnivore. She made the pies, salads and mashed potatoes, he did almost everything else. Made for interesting meals.

 

[Dawgluver]

The only thing I remember about the last pork loin I cooked was that it turned out so dry my family didn't like it at all....too lean.
I've been sticking slivered garlic into meat slits my entire life as did my dad that cooked the meat at home when I was growing up. Mother was a vegetarian, father a carnivore. She made the pies, salads and mashed potatoes, he did almost everything else. Made for interesting meals.

Bet it did!

 

[KatyCooks]

Stuff it - full of lovely things that you like - garlic/herbs/dried fruit - oil it then wrap it.

Not sure if you mean a "big" joint here or a tenderloin. So if it is a big joint, cover it in foil and roast, and if it is a small tenderloin, wrap it in bacon, brown it in a pan and roast it.

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't usually make a whole, or even half, pork loin, either, since there's just the two of us. They're usually cheaper than boneless pork loin chops, so I buy a loin, cut it into chops, and freeze some for later. I use the chops for all kinds of things - seasoned with different flavor profiles and pan-roasted, or grilled, or cut into cubes and stir-fried, etc.

 

[CWS4322]

I've made this Laura Calder recipe several times using pork loin. I've made it without cutting it, and I've cut it like a book and stuff some rosemary, garlic, and a couple of slices of bacon in the center, roll and tie it. It is really good. And it smells sooooo good when it is cooking.

Milk Pork Recipe | How to Cook Milk Pork - Free Recipes

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

The sad thing about the loin ( not tenderloin) is that it is so dry. We don't like chops for that reason. My roast turned out as good as a loin can be, but that still isn't that great. The meat always seems slightly dry and stringy, just like the chops. I never cook it beyond medium as anything else is like eating sawdust. I make the roasts, but frankly loins are a crummy cut for anything but using as stew or stirfry. I keep hoping something will work, but even stuffing them is marginal. Loin chops are iffy, as even cooking to medium, they are dry textured. I dont know how people can handle it welldone. I only buy loin as it is currently cheaper than the butt/shoulder which we absolutely love due to its moist tenderness. Oh well, such is life.

 

[GotGarlic]

Try salting them about 30 minutes before you cook them. I pan-fry them frequently and they're not dry because of this method. It's based on this, which illustrates the process: Steak Recipe: Turning Cheap “Choice” Steak into Gucci “Prime” Steak I don't think the pork needs as long a salting time as beef does.

I can't imagine stewing a lean cut. It does make great stir-fry, though.

You might also try resting them before they're done to your liking. They will continue to cook from carry-over cooking and can overcook by the time they're served.

ETA: I meant to say this is like a quicker, easier way of brining, to keep them moist.

 

[taxlady]

Pork loin makes wonderful schnitzel.

 

[Aunt Bea]

In the fall I like to pot roast them on a bed of sauerkraut that has some chopped onion, chopped apple and caraway seeds mixed into it. I nestle the roast into the sauerkraut mixture, dust the top of it with Bell's poultry seasoning, S&P, etc..., cover it, roast low and slow for a couple of hours. I always put some carrots, whole onions and chunks of potatoes around it to cook at the same time.

Don't forget to slide a pan of apple crisp into the oven along with the roast!

 

[CWS4322]

In the fall I like to pot roast them on a bed of sauerkraut that has some chopped onion, chopped apple and caraway seeds mixed into it. I nestle the roast into the sauerkraut mixture, dust the top of it with Bell's poultry seasoning, S&P, etc..., cover it, roast low and slow for a couple of hours. I always put some carrots, whole onions and chunks of potatoes around it to cook at the same time.

Don't forget to slide a pan of apple crisp into the oven along with the roast!

What about brining it first?

 

[Aunt Bea]

What about brining it first?

I'm not against it, I've just never done it.

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

I am very salt sensitive so brining and salting is out.

I love pork sour kraut and dumplings in fall! Cut the pork into large serving sized chunks, cover in water, boil til tender. Then throw in a good quality kraut ( not Bavarian style) and caraway seed. Bring to a boil and throw in dumplings, nice big bread textured dumplings, not those Bisquick or noodle-like things. My dumplings are an old Czech that are the size of baseballs. They are bread textured, hold their shape and kind of remind me of large matzo balls. I really prefer it with boiled cabbage, but hubby would rather die than eat cabbage (he likes kraut.)

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

PS: I rinse my kraut to get rid of some of the extra salt.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I am very salt sensitive so brining and salting is out.

I love pork sour kraut and dumplings in fall! Cut the pork into large serving sized chunks, cover in water, boil til tender. Then throw in a good quality kraut ( not Bavarian style) and caraway seed. Bring to a boil and throw in dumplings, nice big bread textured dumplings, not those Bisquick or noodle-like things. My dumplings are an old Czech that are the size of baseballs. They are bread textured, hold their shape and kind of remind me of large matzo balls. I really prefer it with boiled cabbage, but hubby would rather die than eat cabbage (he likes kraut.)

My Grandmother used to make those on day two of a bone in pork roast or when she found some meaty pork neck bones in the market.

Dumpling are not used enough anymore. We used to have them on a chicken stew and also dessert dumplings dropped into a pot of simmering blueberries.

What killed the dumpling, was it fast food restaurants or America's need to always be on a diet that never quite seems to work.

 

[Hoot]

I dunno, Aunt Bea. Dumplin's are alive and well at Casa de Hoot. I like the idea of dessert dumplin's in simmering blueberries. We gots blueberries in the freezer!