Why We Love Boneless Pork Roasts
This recipe uses a boneless pork sirloin roast, an easy-to-find cut of meat that makes a great choice for both special occasions and Sunday dinners for family and friends. It’s the perfect size for a small group of guests, or if you’re serving a larger crowd, you can simply make more than one.
Over the years, our Italian-inspired recipe has become extremely popular with readers during the holidays because it’s easy to make and always yields tender and juicy results. Read on for shopping tips and more information.
The Main Ingredient
Also referred to as a boneless, center-cut pork loin roast, this tender cut of pork comes from the area between the shoulder and back legs of the animal. These roasts cook fairly quickly, are easy to carve, and when done to the proper internal temperature (don’t overcook), turn out tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
Boneless pork sirloin roasts generally weigh between 2-1/2 and 3 pounds, and serve 4 to 6 people, depending on your choice of side dishes. This makes the cut a great choice for smaller gatherings, but you can also feed a larger group by cooking two of them side by side.
Shopping tip: Be sure to ask your butcher to leave a thin layer of fat on the top of the roast as it will render during cooking and essentially baste the pork as it cooks.
Key Flavors
The secret to this recipe is our Italian-inspired garlic and herb rub. It’s fabulous on both this boneless pork roast and its fancier cousin, the crown roast. In addition to olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Minced garlic: As the name of the recipe implies, fresh garlic is the primary flavor in this rub and you can adjust the amount according to personal taste.
- Fresh thyme: Thyme has an earthy flavor that pairs exceptionally well with pork and poultry and provides the background flavor for the rub.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary has a distinctive and pungent flavor that is delicious when used in the right quantity, but it can be overpowering if you use too much. Be sure to measure carefully and strip the leaves from the woody stems before chopping.
- Fresh sage: Like rosemary, sage has an assertive flavor that needs to be used with care. Small, tender leaves can be chopped along with their thinner stems, but larger leaves should be stripped from the stems before chopping.
- Orange zest: Orange zest adds both a bright, citrus flavor and a touch of sweetness to the rub. Be sure to use fresh though, as dried will harden further during roasting and change the texture of the crust.
How To Make Garlic and Herb-Crusted Boneless Pork Roast
This is an overview of how this dish is made. You’ll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes in advance to bring it up to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection) and fit a rack inside a roasting pan (or straight-sided casserole dish) just large enough to accommodate the roast. Coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Chop the herbs, mince the garlic, grate the orange zest, then combine with olive oil, salt, and pepper for the rub.
- Spoon the rub onto the pork roast and using your hands, spread to coat the roast as thoroughly as possible.
- Pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (this creates moist heat) and place the pork roast fat side up on the rack.
- Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140°F, 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking after 35 minutes (see notes).
- Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Pro Tip for Tender, Juicy Pork
Because lean cuts of pork like this one often lack marbling, it’s important that you don’t overcook them or they can turn out dry and tough.
We recommend removing your roast from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Carry-over heat will raise the internal temperature by at least 5° as the roast rests. Be sure to use an accurate instant-read thermometer and test your roast in the center.
Table for Two: How to Scale This Recipe
If you’d like to scale down this boneless pork roast recipe to make just two servings, cut your roast in half and freeze the other portion. You can leave the other half intact to make another roast at a later date, or slice it into boneless chops (try our Pork Chops with Pears and Blue Cheese).
To cook a half roast, cut back the rub ingredient quantities by 1/3. You’ll want to reduce the roasting time as well. Start checking for doneness after 20 minutes. If you have leftover pork, slice it as thinly as you can and use it for sandwiches. It’s great on a soft roll with honey mustard, a little thinly sliced sweet onion, and mild white Cheddar.
Make It a Meal: Our Complete Menu
We’ve expanded on the Italian-style flavors in the rub for the roast and paired it with easy, make-ahead dishes to create a full menu that includes an appetizer, two tasty side dishes, and dessert.
- Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms – Made with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a topping of melted Asiago cheese, these stuffed mushrooms are easy to make in advance.
- Parmesan Pasta with Cabbage and Thyme – This savory combination of sautéed cabbage, pasta, fresh thyme, garlic, and Parmesan cheese is an Italian variation of our family recipe for Hungarian Cabbage Noodles.
- Green Beans and Tomatoes Oreganata – This delicious, crumb-topped casserole of fresh green beans and diced tomatoes is the perfect make-ahead side dish because it tastes even better when reheated.
- Orange Rosemary Biscotti – Flavored with rosemary, orange liqueur, orange zest, and pine nuts, these biscotti make a perfect finish for this meal. Serve with coffee or espresso.
Wine Pairing Recommendations
There are a number of wines that pair nicely with the flavors in this pork roast. For red lovers, we recommend Barbera or Pinot Noir. For those that favor white wine, try a Soave Classico or Riesling.
Garlic and Herb Crusted Boneless Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 to 3- pound boneless pork roast, (loin/sirloin)
For the rub:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (leaves only), finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
Instructions
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of time to bring it to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection) and fit a rack inside a roasting pan (or straight-sided casserole dish) just large enough to accommodate the roast. Coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Make the rub by combining the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme, and orange zest in a small bowl.
- Spoon the rub onto the pork roast and using your hands, spread to coat the roast as thoroughly as possible.
- Pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (this creates moist heat) and place the pork roast fat side up on the rack.
- Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140°F, 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking after 35 minutes (see notes).
- Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Pat Mecham says
If I refrigerate the roast for 24 hours after applying the rub would the flavor be too strong?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Pat,
I honestly don’t think the flavor would be too strong, but then again, I’m a garlic lover. If you’re concerned, you could cut back on the quantity of garlic a bit and either use the minimum of 2 teaspoons or cut back to just 1-1/2 teaspoons.
Angela C Wallace says
May put cut veggies ie: carrots , mushrooms, onions, potatoes etc…. Under the pork sirloin roast?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Angela,
I see no reason why you couldn’t roast some veggies under the pork. My only thought is that you would want to cut veggies that take longer to cook (i.e. carrots and potatoes) into smaller pieces to be sure they cook completely in the amount of time it takes to roast the pork.
Barbara Kliffer says
I am planning to use this recipe for a boneless pork sirloin roast that is 2.2 lbs. I am really a big fan of gravy…is it possible to make a gravy with the remaining pan liquids?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Barbara,
Because of the relatively short roasting time, the pork may not give off enough pan juices to fully flavor a gravy if you follow the recipe instructions and just add water to the bottom of the pan. I think I would use low-sodium chicken broth instead and add a little more than 1/2-inch depth.
Marian Humphrey says
Yikes Gourmet Connector❣️
I see the roast I plan to cook for tonight has had ALL fat removed!
What shall I do???
Lynne Webb says
Hi Marian,
One thing that occurs to me is to replace 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the rub with mayonnaise. It won’t change the overall flavor and should melt more slowly into the meat helping to keep it moist. We use this technique on turkey (Herb Roasted Turkey) and it works very well.
Also, test the roast a little early (after 40 minutes) and keep a close eye on the internal temperature. Hope this helps.
Will_H says
This recipe is brilliant. I used to follow different types of baking methods and this one turns out to be the most efficient and TASTY method. Thank you for sharing this – 5 star results indeed
Lynne Webb says
Hi Will,
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the roast and really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
Kirsten says
I have a boneless pork loin roast & l love the look of the recipe but when you say leave the fat on top do you mean the piece that normally turns to crackling or the thin layer of fat just under that?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Kirsten,
The fat layer should be between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick. Without seeing your roast, I would say you want to remove the layer that turns to crackling.
Toni Worden says
I have a Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin roast that’s 3 3/4# would I be able to use that type of roast and would I have to do anything different… I have never made a pork loin roast in the oven before so i’m a little nervous.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Toni,
Your roast should be perfect for this recipe. It is a little larger than the recipe calls for, so here is what I would do. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the rub for extra coverage and remove the roast from the refrigerator 45 minutes in advance to come to room temperature. Aside from those two small adjustments, all the other recipe instructions should remain the same. Hope this helps.