Mama's Cooking: Pork Loin Roast

My mom is an excellent cook.  She’s taught me most of what I know and I love dining in her home.  You are always greeted with delightful smells and a variety of flavors to tempt the palette and she is always trying to ply you with some morsel or the other.

We often have Sunday dinner at her house with any given variety of my siblings and their families.   

Aside from the cacophony that comes from a small roomful of ravenous adults and squealing children it is usually a good time with lots of conversation, laughter, and the occasional bout of squawking from the minions.  Anyway, my mother’s roasts are always delectable, but this last time around it was crazy-delicious. 

I extracted the information from her brain via conversation…and you can see it below.  She doesn’t give measurements in exacts, and so you’ll have to bear with the winging of the recipe.

Mom’s Pork Loin Roast

Pork Loin Roast: 5-6 lbs.

Spray the bottom of the roasting pan, placing pork in the pan, season with salt and pepper, garlic and onion powders, paprika.  Spray the pork with water to dampen the seasonings.

Put water in the bottom of the pan, approximately ½ inch-3/4 inch.

Put the roasting pan lid on and place pan in the oven, preheated to 350 degrees.

Cook for 3-4 hours, checking to make sure plenty of liquid.  In this case the roast was adding liquid and so none needed to be added.  Pork should be soft and done.  There is usually a piece of the pork that runs alongside that will separate, and will come away when it is done.  You do not want to overcook the pork or it will go from soft and moist, to tough and dry.

Remove when done, set aside on the stove while continuing to prepare the rest of dinner.

When you are ready to make the gravy, remove the loin in full and put the roasting pan on the stove and bring liquid to a boil.

4 C. of water combined with ¾ C. Brown Gravy Mix added in to the drippings and brought to a simmer.  Season it as needed with given seasonings. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring periodically so it doesn’t scorch.  If needed add an additional 1 C. of water, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.  

Turn it down to low and let it continue to be heated for an additional 20 minutes.  Slice the pork loin and add it into the gravy, coating all of the pieces, allow it to heat for another 30 minutes.  Beginning to end of the gravy cycle it was probably about an hour of prep and cook to serving time.

Serve with rice, French fries, a green salad with home vinaigrette, orange slices and some French bread with butter.  Enjoy!