We love to make pork roast for a company meal because it adapts beautifully to a wide variety of seasonings and sauces, and it always yields great results.
This recipe features a simple, flavorful rub made with an ample quantity of garlic and an assortment of fresh herbs.
It’s fabulous on both this boneless cut of pork and its fancier cousin, the crown roast.
Shopping For A Pork Roast: Boneless & Crown Roast
Here are some tips for choosing the right pork roast for your entertaining needs.
Boneless Pork Roast (Pork Sirloin):
Boneless pork sirloin roasts generally weigh between 2-1/2 and 3 pounds, enough for about 6 servings. If you’re having a larger group, simply cook two roasts side by side. This cut cooks fairly quickly, is easy to carve, and, when done to the proper internal temperature, turns out tender, juicy and full of flavor.
It’s a great choice for smaller gatherings, or if you’re short on time or oven space and you won’t be sacrificing quality or flavor.
Crown Roast of Pork:
A crown roast of pork is made from two racks of pork loin chops tied into a circle. They vary in size, the most common range being from 8 to 12 pounds.
This roast is a wonderful choice when you want to make a showy presentation for the holidays or a special occasion, but you will need to plan ahead as you’ll most likely have to order it from the butcher a day or two in advance.
PrintGarlic-Herb Crusted Boneless Pork Sirloin Roast
This tender and juicy boneless pork roast is coated in a delicious rub made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 to 3-pound boneless pork roast (pork sirloin)
For the rub:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
Instructions
- Bring the roast to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- Make the rub by combining the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme and orange zest in a small bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Using your hands, coat the roast completely with the prepared rub. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the pan.
- Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 145°F, 50 to 60 minutes.
- 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.
Recipe Keywords: easy pork roast, holiday pork roast
Megan says
Found this recipe through our Butcher Box membership and made it for New Years Day dinner. It was absolutely delicious – even my 7 year old complimented me on the flavor and juiciness of the meat! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Lynne Webb says
Hi Megan,
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the pork roast recipe. Sounds like your 7 year old is destined to be a real foodie – that’s great!
Michelle K Drozdibob says
Being of Serbian descent and married to a Croatian, I do cook a lot of pork roasts and lamb. Pork can safely come out of the oven when the internal temp is 145 on a meat thermometer. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest 15 minutes or so, so that the juices redistribute to keep the meat moist. Also, the temp goes up a bit (called carry-over cook time) while it is resting. The meat may be slightly pink on the inside, but is perfectly safe to eat, or we would all be dead by now! It is not the same as pork was 40 years ago. That’s why the commercials say “Pork – the other white meat”
Lynne Webb says
Hi Michelle,
You’re right, pork is very different than it was years ago and that internal temp of 145°F is not only safe, it ensures that the meat stays juicy and moist. Thanks for sharing the info.
Dorilea says
I had never made a Pork Sirloin Roast and was terrified as I had heard it was a tough cut of meat. But, I followed the directions with the exception of “fresh” spices (there is not a store within 50 miles to get those). The meat came out perfectly. It was juicy and tender, and the flavor was excellent. I did, however, cook the meat to 155 degrees as I am a Nervous Nelly when it comes to pork. Even so, the meat was still tender and juicy. THANK YOU for posting the recipe.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Dorilea,
You can certainly season your pork roast with anything you’d like – including plain old salt and pepper. I’m glad to hear that the cooking method produced a tender, juicy pork roast for you. Thanks for letting us know.
Judy theus says
We have a pork loin sirloin roast. Would this recipe work for this cut of meat. I only cooked this cut once and found it very dry and tough and no flavor, I did use spices on top. (. even though I had removed it at temp of 145). If the recipe will not work, please let me know how to cook this meat.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Judy,
This recipe is intended for a 2-1/2 to 3 lb pork sirloin roast (5 to 6 servings). We’ve always had good results with it and I’m hoping you will too.
There are two steps in our recipe that are important for keeping the meat moist and juicy. The first is that you bring the roast to room temperature before cooking so it doesn’t take too long to reach that internal temperature of 145°. The second is to position the roast on a rack inside your roasting pan and add water as instructed. This will create moist heat inside the oven and help to prevent the meat from drying out.
It’s a good idea to roast meat in a pan that’s fits it fairly well. You don’t want the meat touching the sides, but you don’t want the pan to be so large that your juices evaporate quickly or burn. Pork sirloin roasts aren’t too big, so you may have better luck using a straight-sided baking dish as opposed to a large roasting pan.
Another tip is to shop for a roast that has a little visible marbling and layer of fat on top. If you look closely at our photo, you’ll see that thin layer of fat on the top. This not only goes a long way toward keeping the meat moist it adds flavor too. Hope this info helps!
Denise Cameron says
I bought a pork sirloin not knowing anything about it. Followed this recipe and it was amazing. Many, many thanks.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Denise,
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Chris says
I want to try this today but I have a question. After placing the water in the roasting pan, do I cover the roast with the lid to the roasting pan? I see the recipe then says “remove from oven and tent loosely with foil”. Does that mean I didn’t have a cover on the meat previously?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, you want to roast the pork uncovered. Once it reaches the internal temp of 145° you can take it out of the oven and tent some foil over it loosely while it rests before carving.
Lindsey says
Would I be able to do this in the crockpot? If so, would you suggest any ingredient amoount changes and how long do you think? Thanks, looking forward to trying this!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lindsey,
I’ve never made this in the crockpot, but here’s how I would do it:
Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper brown it in a skillet on all sides. Place it in the crockpot, then sauté the garlic in the pan drippings just until soft – not browned. Add the thyme, sage and orange zest and spread the mixture over the top of the roast.
Omit the rosemary at the beginning because it tends to get bitter when cooked for a long time. You can add a whole sprig during the last 20 minutes of cooking and for some subtle some rosemary flavor.
Pour in 1/2 cup of liquid. Try a combination of low-sodium or homemade chicken broth and orange juice to bring out the flavor of the orange zest a little more. You could also use white wine if you prefer.
Cooking time is where I’m not too sure. You still want to bring the roast to an internal temperature of 140° to 145° but pork can get very dry in the crockpot, so I would say 4 hours on low should be more than enough to cook a boneless roast like this yet keep it tender. I will depend on the crockpot to some degree too.
Your question has piqued my curiosity and I’ve added a crockpot version of this roast to my recipe to-do list. Let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear how you make out.
Stan Smith says
Hi, I have been cooking pork loin for several years. I use a crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours. I spice the meat with salt, pepper an garlic powder.then brown it in a cast iron skillet. Place the loin on a bed of sliced onions and let it cook.It falls apart and you can use it as a meal with potatoes and gravy and a veggie. You can add potatoes, carrots, celery about anything. It all get done at the same time put the veggies in with about 2 hour left to cook. I like to shred mine and I use it to make burritos or enchiladas. It is great with New Mexican red chile..
Elizabeth says
I did try this in the crockpot and it didn’t turn out as well as the oven. I wouldn’t make it in the crockpot again.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for letting us know about your experience. I think it’s tough to get great results from the crockpot with a leaner cut of pork like a sirloin roast.
Luz says
The recipe was great! I cut slits into the top of the roast and stuffed it with pressed garlic and I slathered it with salt and pepper prior to adding the rub. Only down side is my roast was 2.2lb and only half of it was cooked when I cooked it for 55 min and the internal temp reached 145 degrees. The bottom half was rare. I do not have a roasting pan so I used a pan and a cooling rack to set it on top. That may have been part of the problem. =/ I would love to try this recipe again, but maybe with a smaller roast and with an actual roasting pan.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Luz – Thanks for sharing your experience. Roasting pans do have low sides that allow for better heat circulation around your meat, but in lieu of getting a new pan, you could try roasting the pork bottom side up for about 20 minutes, then turn it right side up to finish cooking. You can also rotate the pan when you put it back in the oven. Allow 3 or 4 minutes extra to compensate for the heat loss from opening the door as well. Hope this helps!
Elizabeth says
This was fantastic! I also used dried herbs because I didn’t feel going to the store. I also used lemon zest instead of orange because I had it. We loved this!
Lynne Webb says
Thanks Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed it.
Samantha says
Absolutely AMAZING, flavorful, delicious, juicy, aromatic, INCREDIBLY EASY recipe. My only substitutions were I doubled the garlic, since there’s no such thing as “too much garlic”, and I used dried sage…about 1tsp. The other herbs and orange zest were fresh. ..actually I probably used more like 3 tsp zest…the whole zest of a small orange. ..because I like citrus too!! My roast was just about 2 lbs …we had roasted asparagus and my husband had a baked potato, and there is enough of the roast for tomorrow nights dinner…by the way…this is the first time I felt impressed enough with a recipe to take the time to write a review. TO ANY NEWBIE COOKS, TRY THIS!!
Jann says
I made this for New Years dinner. I ordered a 6 1/2# roast from my butcher, which was actually 2 small roasts tied together. I doubled the ingredients for the rub, cooked it to 145 degrees which took about 2hrs & 10 min. My house smelled fantastic (used all fresh herbs except the sage, used a little less than recipe called for since it was dried), the roast was moist & delicious and I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Jann,
So glad you enjoyed the pork roast – I’ll bet it did smell great. Thanks for letting us know the quantities and cook times for a larger roast. Your feedback is much appreciated. Happy 2015!
Sue Lane Helton says
I have two roast weighing 2.6 lbs. each. They are fresh pork sirloin roast. They have a small bone on one side and I can’t tell if it goes all the way through. Do I cook them the same way as boneless?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Sue,
Without seeing your roasts, it’s a bit hard for me to weigh in, but I think you can proceed with the recipe as written for the most part. Since the roasts only weigh a little over 2.5 lbs with a bone included, you should probably start checking the internal temperature a little sooner – perhaps after 45 minutes in the oven. Be sure to stay clear of the bone with the thermometer though, as you won’t get an accurate reading if it’s touching.
Susan J. says
I use fresh rosemary and herbes de Provence since I always have a bottle in the house. I also make a sauce of canned, or fresh, cranberries, caramelized onions, rosemary and balsamic vinegar, which I serve on the side. Really wonderful recipe!
Lynne Webb says
Sounds delicious Susan. The herbes de Provence would be a nice touch. Thanks for sharing.
Debbi says
DELICIOUS!! I love the way the herbs just hang out in you mouth for awhile. We will definitely have this again.
Lynne Webb says
Thanks Debbi – glad you enjoyed it!
Amy says
This is absolutely the most wonderful pork roast I’ve every prepared of eaten. My boyfriend was so impressed with it that I make it weekly and usually prepare tow of them together. Phenomenal!
Lynne Webb says
Thanks for your comment – we’re so glad you like the recipe.
Tracy Melhinch says
just looking at this is making me hungry
Kari says
I am going to try this recipe. I have a larger group and want to take your advice and cook two roasts side by side. Does the cooking time change? Or will two roasts cook in the same amount of time?
Actually, one roast is 2 lbs. and the other is 2.5 lbs.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Kari,
The cooking time for 2 roasts should be very close to the 55-75 minute range specified in the recipe for a single roast. Every oven is different though, so the most important thing to do is check them with an accurate meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast.
Since one of your roasts is a bit smaller than average, you should probably check it after 45 minutes, then check the larger one 10 minutes later. If they aren’t quite done, put them back in the oven and check every 7 minutes or so until the temperature reaches 145°.
Enjoy!
Sheina says
So delicious! This will be my go-to rub for pork from now on. My cut was only 1.5 lbs. but it still took 75 minutes to reach 145 degrees. I made a simple gravy from the pan drippings by bringing it to boil with some flour. We served it with mashed potatoes for a birthday dinner. Thanks!!!
Janet says
I agree with Janine–this is the best pork roast we’ve ever had! I made a few modifications, mostly that I didn’t read ” fresh” herbs and used a dry mixture of herbs, cutting down the amount, and I didn’t have enough orange zest. I agree with Stattick about the strong aroma while baking, so I’ll try fresh next time. I couldn’t believe it’d be done in such a short length of time, but it was done in 1 hour, and after the foil tent, it was perfection (my roast was only 2 lbs.). Thanks!
Christine says
I made this tonight for my daughters birthday and let me just bow down to you. So simple yet classy and delicious. Thankyou for this wonderful recipe
Janine says
the most delicious pork we have ever eaten. YUM!
anniegi says
This was a terrific roast recipe. I didn’t have citrus but used Lawry’s Montreal steak seasoning & added worcestershire sauce to the mix. Made a really lovely pan gravy.
Don says
Is 145 degrees enough? Just wondering, because that is the lowest recommended temp I have ever seen for this cut of pork. I realize pork doesn’t need to be cooked to death (like it was believed in the past), but it is my understanding that 155 degrees may be a better number.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Don,
Thanks for your comment. The internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise from 5° to 10° as it rests before carving. This will bring the temperature to at least 150°F, more likely a little higher. This is considered medium doneness for pork.
If you prefer your pork well done, remove it from the oven when the internal temperature is 150° or 155°.
Hope this info helps!
Rachel Blanks says
I’m mincing herbs right now to combine with olive oil for my roast. I’m going to refrigerate it with the marinade overnight and roast for Sunday dinner. Alongside will be featured roast turnips, parsnips, and carrots (root vegetable medley) mashed potatoes, and a rich pan sauce from the drippings! Can’t wait to taste this one!
Stattick says
I tried this for Christmas dinner for my girlfriend and I (just the two of us). I didn’t have fresh herbs, just the dried stuff. After hunting around, I found that most of the fresh herbs substitute for dried by halving the amount, but a few of them substitute by a third. I only had table salt, and cut the salt total by half. I only had canola oil, and used the amount asked for. I didn’t even have pepper corns, so used course ground black pepper. I even had to substitute the orange zest for dried orange peel. So really, the only thing I had that didn’t require substitution was the garlic. 😛
My roast was only 2 lbs, so I then cut everything by a third. I figured that there’d just be way too much salt and herbs for a two pound roast, when the recipe was designed for a roast near to two and three quarter pounds. The herbs, for the most part, didn’t divide evenly by then, so I just cut a 1/4 of a teaspoon from all of them, cutting 3/4 down to 1/2, and 1/2 down to 1/4.
The roast… didn’t really smell all that great while it was cooking. Honestly, it just didn’t. It didn’t smell awful, just pungent, almost like scorched garlic. Fresh herbs probably would have made all the difference in the world as far as the nose went.
But the roast was juicy, flavorful, and tasted wonderful. It was a great, savory pork roast, without all that sugery sweetness that everyone seems to want to slather pork with. I will definitely be making this again… and if I can figure out how to improve the aroma, I will. Maybe actual, fresh orange zest is the key – I’m suspicious of the age of what I used.
Lynne Webb says
Glad the roast turned out well. Sounds like you had a good handle on the quantity adjustments.