Garlic Mustard Herb Pork Loin Roast

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle.
   375°F
2. Pat the pork dry and

   season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   it all over with the salt and pepper.
3. Stir the mustard, oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and brown sugar into a paste.
4. Set the pork fat side up on the rack in a roasting pan and spread the paste over the top and sides.
5. Roast (how to roast)

   Roast Cook food uncovered in a hot oven so the outside browns while the inside cooks through. 1. Heat the oven fully before the food goes in, usually 400 to 450°F for vegetables.2. Toss vegetables with oil and salt; dry and season meat.3. Spread everything out on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan with room around each piece.4. Roast, turning vegetables once halfway, until browned at the edges.5. For meat, check the center with a thermometer. Done when: Vegetables are browned at the edges and tender in the middle; meat reaches its safe temperature. Safety: Use dry oven mitts (wet ones pass heat straight through) and tilt hot pans away from you to avoid the fat and steam.How to roast meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   until the center reads 145°F (63°C). Start checking at 50 minutes.
   145°F⏱ Roast: 1 hr 5 min
6. Move the pork to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and

   rest (how to rest)

   Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid

   it.
   ⏱ Rest: 10 min
7. Slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   the roast about 1/2 inch thick and spoon any pan juices over the slices.

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Tips

• The USDA safe temperature for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. A little blush of pink inside is fine.
• Pork loin and pork tenderloin are different cuts; a tenderloin is much smaller and cooks in about 20 minutes.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Slice cold for sandwiches, or warm slices gently in a covered pan with a splash of broth.

Make ahead

Rub the paste on, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let the roast sit out 30 minutes before roasting.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.