Mustard Pork Loin Roast
Mustard Pork Loin Roast is wonderfully tender and flavored with an ultra tasty mustard sauce. This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal and definitely pretty enough to serve for holidays and special occasions!
An Easy Pork Dinner Recipe
This Mustard Pork Loin Roast is a super versatile recipe. It’s easy enough for a casual weeknight dinner but pretty and elegant enough for a holiday meal or special occasion. Tender and flavorful, it’s exceptional all the way around. If you’re a mustard fan, this recipe’s for you!
This Recipe Has So Much Flavor!
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. In my first testings for this recipe, my family kept saying, “More mustard, please!” So that’s exactly what I gave them!
For this pork loin roast recipe, I use three different kinds of mustard:
- Stone ground mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Yellow mustard
That may seem like mustard overload but each variety has different tastes and qualities, so they complement each other instead of creating one overpowering flavor.
Plus there’s other flavors mixed with the mustards that lovingly balance the pungency. The recipe includes minced fresh rosemary, plus a beautiful touch of sweet curry and honey in the mustard sauce, and a garlic and salt rub that’s added to the pork first. Together, the mustard sauce and garlic rub perfectly flavor this tender, juicy pork loin. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth dish that everyone will love!
What You’ll Need
The mustard sauce is created with just 5 ingredients and you’ll need just a few more to prepare the pork loin.
FOR THE MUSTARD SAUCE:
- Mustard – Stone ground mustard, Dijon mustard, and yellow prepared mustard are all used to give this recipe the perfect balance of mustard flavors.
- Fresh rosemary
- Olive oil
- Honey – Balances the zesty mustard flavors.
- Sweet curry – Adds irresistible warm depth to the overall flavor.
FOR THE PORK LOIN ROAST:
- Pork Loin Roast – You’ll need about a 3.5 pound boneless pork loin roast (not pork tenderloin) for this recipe.
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Canola oil – You can also substitute vegetable oil or similar.
- Fresh rosemary & parsley – Can be added as optional garnishes.
Is Pork Loin the Same as Pork Tenderloin?
First, just to be clear, I want to make sure we’re on the same page before diving into this recipe. I’m talking about pork loin here, not pork tenderloin. While they are both mild, lean cuts of pork, they are very different. The loin and tenderloin are cut from different parts of the animal and look quite different.
PORK LOIN is considerably larger in size and available as a boneless roast or bone-in roast. This tender cut is often referred to as pork loin roast, and when sold in its whole form can weigh nine to ten pounds, or more. It is wide enough to cut steak-like pieces from it. Many people will purchase a whole loin and then divide it into two or three portions, freezing whatever is not used right away. The pork loin has a signature fat cap that, when cooked properly, will melt into and add more flavor to the roast. You’ll find that most recipes will call for slow-roasting or grilling for this pork cut.
PORK TENDERLOIN is a long, thin cut of meat that is the muscle that runs along the backbone. This cut is sold whole and usually weighs about one pound. Most pork tenderloin recipes will have you cooking this cut quickly over fairly high heat. This is one of our family’s favorite cuts for a quick and easy meal from the grill.
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 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 aluminum foil loosely over the pork loin. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
How Long To Cook Pork Loin?
The best pork is not overcooked. Pork is perfect – and safe! – when it has a lovely pink coloring in the center and registers 145 degrees F.
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 nicely 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 the oven to reach 145 degrees F.
Tips for Success
Here are a few quick suggestions for cooking the perfect pork loin:
- 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.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re serving this mustard pork loin roast for a special holiday meal, try dressing it up with some sides like garlic and mushroom stuffing and shaved brussels sprouts salad. And mashed potatoes are always a win, for either a fancy or casual meal!
Can I Make This In Advance?
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 one day prior to 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 then transfer to a freezer ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Pork Recipes:
- Pork Chops with Andouille and Pecan Stuffing
- Easy Pork Carnitas
- Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Baked Pork Chops and Stuffing
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Mustard Pork Loin Roast
Ingredients
for the mustard sauce:
- ¼ cup stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow prepared mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon sweet curry
for the pork loin roast:
- 1 3.5 pound boneless pork loin roast not pork tenderloin
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- minced fresh rosemary and parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- for the mustard sauce: In a small bowl, combine all mustard sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- for the pork loin roast: Pat the pork loin dry using paper towels. With kitchen string, tie up the pork loin every 2 inches. Reference the photo from this post that shows how this should look.
- Create a simple garlic paste by sprinkling the salt over the minced garlic, right on the cutting board. Angle the knife blade (I like to use a knife with a larger blade, such as a Santoku knife or chef's knife.) so it's laying almost flat on the cutting board, pressing and scraping the garlic and salt together. The garlic pieces will start to soften and smash, and combine with the salt to form a paste. Keep pressing and scraping until you have a smooth paste. Sprinkle pepper over the paste, and then press and scrape a few more times to incorporate. Rub this mixture over all sides of the pork loin. Set aside at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Place a 12" cast iron skillet or stainless steel straight-sided skillet on stovetop and heat to medium-high. Add canola oil and heat until shimmering. Carefully add pork loin, fat cap side down. Sear until deep golden brown and when it releases easily from the skillet, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Once all four sides have browned, transfer pork loin with the fat cap facing up to a rack set inside a roasting pan. If you do not have one of these, simply place a cooling rack inside a large rimmed pan. I like to line my rimmed pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Brush seared pork loin on all sides with mustard sauce, using all of the sauce for a 3-1/2 pound pork loin. Tent a large piece of aluminum foil (I like these extra large, heavy duty rolls) loosely over the pork loin, keeping the foil from touching the pork. Cook for 35 minutes. Remove foil tent and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or so, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 145° F. I start checking the temperature after the pork has cooked for 10 minutes without the foil tent. Do not over cook. Remove pork loin from oven and let rest 3 minutes. Remove kitchen string and slice pork loin crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Serve hot, sprinkled with minced fresh rosemary and parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
A few more flavorful pork loin recipes for you!
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Balsamic Pork Loin Roast from Country Cleaver
- Grilled Pork Loin with Balsamic and Raspberry Chili Glaze from foodiecrush
- Smoky Pork Loin with Pineapple Mango Salsa from Lemons for Lulu
Minnesota ranks 2nd in value and number of market pigs raised, with more than 3,000 hardworking pig farms. Mighty impressive. To learn more about Minnesota pig farming – from sustainability, to animal care, to how this business and lifestyle contributes to our state’s economy – visit the Minnesota Pork Board.
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This post is sponsored by the Minnesota Pork Board. All opinions are 100% my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this site possible.
This roast was delicious. The roasting time took 2.5 hours rather than under an hour that this recipe suggested. That’s a bit more in line with other recipes for a 3.5lb roast at 350 degrees. Still, this is wonderful, and we plan to make it again.
I’LL TRY THIS ON PORK BUTTE, I FIND PORK LOIN DRY. LOVE FATTY MEAT.
This is in the oven now…it looks and smells beautiful! I did put it on a bed of sauerkraut…hope that works! Thank you!