Scott's Recipe

Pork - Loin Roast

Category: Pork

4-5 lbs pork loin roast, trimmed of skin and fat
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided


RUB:
2 tsp paprika (mild or smoked)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder
1/2-1 tsp red chili powder, (optional)
2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp black cracked pepper

HONEY GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, (or cider vinegar)
Good pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

ADDITIONAL:
1/2 cup low sodium stock (or broth), beef or chicken
1/2 cup water
4 tsp cornstarch

PORK LOIN:
Pat dry pork with paper towel. Combine 1 Tbsp of oil with rub ingredients. Season pork, rubbing the mixture into the meat.
Heat remaining oil (about 2 tsp) in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Sear pork all over until golden browned, rotating the pork around to avoid spices burning.

SAUCE:
Melt butter in the same pan the pork was in while scraping up any leftover bits in the pan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a rapid simmer for 1 minute.

SLOW COOK:
Place seared pork in a 6-qt slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork; cover with lid and cook on LOW heat setting for 4 - 5 hours.
Transfer pork onto serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
While pork is resting: pour juices from the slow cooker bowl into a pot large enough to fit the liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Mix 2 Tbsp of the juices with 4 tsp of cornstarch. Whisk cornstarch slurry into sauce and let simmer for a good 5 minutes, or until thickened into a syrup-like consistency.
(For a thicker sauce, repeat this step with 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water. Add into sauce and cook until thickened (sauce will thicken as it cools). Continue this step until reaching your desired consistency.)
Slice pork and serve drizzled with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.

OVEN ROAST:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place seared/browned seasoned pork in a roasting pan.
Prepare sauce, as above. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for basting. Pour remaining sauce over pork.
Add in 1/2 cup stock and 1/2 cup water around the pork.
Cover and roast for 20 minutes. Baste with half of the reserved sauce and continue roasting, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes.
Baste again and roast for a further 10-15 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 145°F in the thickest part
(If pan dries out while cooking, add a little more water.)
Transfer pork onto serving plate and baste with pan juices. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes..
Scrape up any browned bits leftover in the pan, mixing them through the pan juices and pour juices into a pot. Whisk in cornstarch/stock and water mixture and bring to a simmer. Slowly add in 1/4 cup water, whisk, then add another 1/4 cup if needed, until reaching a honey-like consistency. (sauce will thicken as it cools).
Slice pork and drizzle with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.