Garlic Studded Pork Loin

An adaption from Cooks Illustrated, this pork roast is easy to prepare and guaranteed to be moist and flavorful! Yes, the roast should be lightly pink! These are the new USDA  internal cooking temperatures for pork. See the New York Times  link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/dining/porks-safe-cooking-temperature-is-lowered.html

See the USDA link below:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/NR_052411_01/index.asp

Download the new  USDA mobile app or standard app for further help:

m.AskKaren.gov         AskKaren.gov

Instant read thermometers cost about $8 and can be found in most grocery stores.

A typical flat shaped pork loin will not cook evenly, so make sure you tie it with butchers twine.  The purpose is to make a cylinder shaped roast. Take 10 inch pieces of cotton twine and at 1 1/2 inch intervals tie each strand around the roast, squeezing it into shape.  It is very easy, but you can ask the butcher to do this for you.

A  4 lb or so center cut pork loin is the best. You don’t want a tapered roast. It will cook unevenly. You want a very thin layer of fat on the outside of the roast.

If you are planning ahead, prepare the roast a day ahead to allow time for flavors to meld in the frig.

In a small bowl combine:

4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

4 teaspoons dried thyme

4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoon pepper

• Insert deep cuts all over the meat. Insert the garlic slices that have been mixed in the spices. Spread remaining spice mixture over the top and sides of the roast. Wrap completely in foil and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. This can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
• When ready to roast, plan for 1 hour and 45 minutes total cooking time.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
• Unwrap roast and place in a shallow roasting pan.
• Roast exactly 30 minutes. Immediately remove from oven to rest another 30 minutes and lower temperature to 325 degrees.
• Return to oven and roast another 15-30 minutes.
• Use an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat and roast to an internal temperature of 135- 140 degrees.
• Remove from oven and let rest another 10 minutes. Roast will  continue cooking to 145 degrees.
• If your internal temperatures don’t reach the above levels, increase cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

My hungry pumpkins loved this roast and used the leftovers reheated in the microwave, served with BBQ sauce on rolls and chopped up in enchiladas!