Mustard Pork Loin Roast

This mustard pork loin roast is a super versatile recipe. It’s easy enough for a casual weeknight meal but elegant enough for a holiday meal or special dinner. Tender and flavorful, it’s exceptional all around. If you’re a mustard fan, this recipe’s for you.

Pork loin is mild and capable of taking on so many different flavors. I always aim to overstep my bounds just a bit when it comes to this cut of meat, to ensure a tasty finished dish. When first testing this recipe, my family kept saying, “More mustard, please!” So that’s exactly what I gave them!

About This Flavorful Pork Loin Roast Recipe

• 3 types of mustard. For this pork loin roast recipe, I use three different kinds of mustard: Stone-ground, Dijon, and yellow mustard. Each one has a different flavor and quality, so they complement each other rather than creating one overpowering flavor.
• Beautifully balanced. To balance the pungency of the mustard, I added fresh rosemary, sweet curry, and honey to the sauce, and rubbed the pork with salt and garlic first. All the flavors work together in this tender, juicy pork loin.
• Easy method. This pork roast looks so incredible on a plate, you would never guess it’s actually SO easy to make. The secret is in the rub and the sauce, and the oven does the rest!

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

The mustard sauce is made with just 5 ingredients, and you’ll need just a few more to prepare the pork loin. Scroll to the recipe card for the full printable recipe with measurements and step-by-step instructions.

• Pork loin roast – You’ll need about a 3.5-pound boneless pork loin roast (not pork tenderloin, see below).
• Garlic – To combine with salt, pepper, and oil to make the pork rub. I use fresh garlic, but you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove if you need to.
• Mustard – Stone-ground mustard, Dijon mustard, and yellow prepared mustard give this recipe the perfect balance of mustard flavors. If you only have one type of mustard, however, that works, too.
• Fresh rosemary – Fresh is best, but you can use dried rosemary in a pinch. If you’re using dried herbs, you’ll need about ⅓ of the amount as the flavor is more concentrated.
• Olive oil – Or your preferred cooking oil.
• Honey – Balances the zesty mustard flavors. You could also use brown sugar here, or maple syrup would also work nicely.
• Sweet curry – Curry powder adds warmth and depth of flavor.

Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is for pork loin, and not pork tenderloin. While they are both mild, lean cuts of pork, the loin and tenderloin are cut from different parts of the animal and are very different.

• Pork tenderloin: This is a long, thin cut of meat that runs along the backbone. Pork tenderloin is considerably smaller than a pork loin roast. You’ll often see it cooked quickly over high heat. This makes pork tenderloin one of our family’s favorite cuts for grilling.
• Pork loin: You’ll find pork loin as a boneless roast or bone-in roast. This tender cut is larger and thicker than the tenderloin. It’s wide enough to cut into steak-like pieces. Pork loin also has a signature fat cap that, when cooked properly, melts into and adds flavor to the roast. For this reason, you’ll find that most pork loin recipes call for slow-roasting, like the method we’ll use today.

How to Make Mustard Pork Loin Roast

With a fairly short amount of prep time, this mustard pork loin really is easy enough for a weeknight dinner!

• Make the mustard sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

• Tie up the pork roast. Dry the pork loin with dry paper towels. Use kitchen string to tie up the pork loin every 2 inches.
• Create a garlic paste. Sprinkle salt over minced garlic on a cutting board, then angle the knife blade to press and scrape the garlic and salt together, until it starts to soften and smash. Repeat until you have a smooth paste. Add pepper and incorporate. Rub paste all over the pork loin.

• Sear the pork loin. Heat the canola oil in a cast-iron skillet until shimmering. Add the pork loin, fat cap side down. Sear until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip over and repeat on the other side.

• Add the mustard sauce. Transfer seared pork loin to a rack inside a roasting pan, fat cap facing up. Then brush the mustard sauce on all sides of the seared pork loin. Use ALL of the sauce.
• Bake. Tent a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the pork loin. Bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until done.

How Long To Cook Pork Loin

The best pork is not overcooked. This pork loin is perfect and safe to eat when it has a lovely pink coloring in the center and registers 145ºF on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Whenever I make this pork loin roast recipe, I use a pork loin that weighs right around 3.5 pounds. It’s the perfect amount for the quantity of mustard sauce, and fits snug in a 12″ cast iron skillet.

For this size of roast, covering it with foil for part of the cooking time, it takes 50 to 60 minutes in a 350ºF oven to reach 145ºF.

Tips for a Perfectly Cooked Pork Loin Roast

• How to properly tie up the pork. I did a little research and found a couple of well-illustrated tying tutorials. But in the end, all I did was cut separate pieces of cooking string to bind the pork loin, positioning the knots on the underside (the opposite side of the fat cap). This will help the pork loin keep its structure and cook evenly. Easy peasy.
• Don’t burn the mustard sauce. To ensure that the mustard sauce doesn’t brown too much, start off by covering the pan in the oven with a loose tent of foil. Then partway through cooking, remove the foil and let the mustard-y exterior get all browned and beautiful.
• Don’t overcook the pork. As mentioned above, overcooking the pork is not something you want to do. You want tender, juicy pork loin for this recipe. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to ensure that you remove the pork from the oven at just the right time.
• Use the pan drippings. If drippings have collected in the pan below your roast, use them to make a variation of my savory ham gravy.

Serving Suggestions

When serving this mustard pork loin roast for a special holiday meal, I like to include steaming bowls of my mom’s easy oyster stew. It’s a lightly creamy soup that’s a beautiful contrast to the meaty roast. Also dress up this meal with sides like garlic and mushroom stuffing and shaved brussels sprouts salad. Mashed potatoes are always a win. For a more casual meal, try a side of easy, creamy coleslaw!

Make It Ahead

The mustard sauce can be made a day or two in advance. Just combine the ingredients and keep it refrigerated.

Some of the pork loin prep work can also be done in advance. The pork loin roast can be tied up, rubbed with garlic paste, and refrigerated for one day before cooking. Allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes on the counter before searing.

How to Store & Freeze Leftovers

• How to store leftovers. Leftover pork loin will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Can I freeze this? Yes, you can freeze leftover pork loin as well. Allow to cool, and then transfer to a freezer ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

More Pork Recipes

• Stuffed Pork Chops
• Easy Pork Carnitas
• Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Baked Pork Chops and Stuffing