Cooking Instructions For Pork Tenderloin

Perfectly Moist Pork Loin is the ULTIMATE "set it and forget it" recipe! It's easy to prep, easy to cook, tastes delicious & your house will smell amazing!!

sliced pork loin roast

Do you have reluctant pork eaters in your family? We definitely did. My boys wouldn't eat any kind of pork that wasn't smothered in BBQ sauce (like these Honey BBQ Pork Chops – a family favorite!). That was until we crafted up this Perfectly Moist Pork Loin recipe.

Now my family is requesting pork nearly every week (without any BBQ sauce in sight). When I say this easy pork loin is moist, I mean it. It is tasty, juicy, and tender pork. It's the perfect main dish for your hungry family!

PERFECTLY MOIST PORK LOIN
Like this recipe? Pin it to your MAIN DISH pinboard!
Follow Real Housemoms on Pinterest

Pork. It can be SO SO good, or it can be SO SO meh. It really does take a good recipe in order to cook up a pork loin that isn't dry, tasteless, and tough. Believe me, I have cooked plenty of bland pork roasts in my day (and my fair share of dry pork chops too).

Things have changed here in the Real Housemoms kitchen though – pork is no longer bland and boring. Pork is my favorite meat to cook with. My husband loves it, my kids beg for it, and I love howsimple it really can be!

seasoning for pork loin recipe

I love that this pork loin roast recipe is a no-frills meal that will please even the pickiest of eaters. The flavor palate is simple – garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Who knew that those few ingredients could work so beautifully together and create a family-friendly meal? All it takes is some sprinkling of the seasoning and a few hours in the oven and you've got yourself a huge hit!

Perfectly Moist Pork Loin is a family favorite for all seasons. In the fall we love the classic combination of pork and apples, so I'll cook up a pork loin and serve it with my famous Baked Apples.

In the cold winter months, it pairs beautifully with some warm, creamy mashed potatoes (you have to try these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes).

And as the weather starts to warm up in the spring and summer, I serve pork loin roast with some chilled pasta salads – this Pesto Pasta Salad fits the bill perfectly!

pork loin rubbed with oil and spices on a roasting rack

Ingredients for Perfectly Moist Pork Loin

Boneless pork loin roast
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder

As someone who never really cooked with pork (because I simply couldn't get it to taste good!), I was a little overwhelmed when I was in the grocery store trying to buy meat. There are SO MANY different cuts of pork. You've got pork chops, pork loin, pork tenderloin (yes, theyare different, who knew?!)… it can definitely be intimidating when trying to pick out the right cut!

For this recipe, you'll want to purchase a pork LOIN. Not chops, not tenderloin. You'll know a pork loin from the other cuts of meat because it is wide enough to cut large slices from and it has a thick layer of fat on the top.

This layer of fat is actually integral to the cooking process because it helps to keep the juices inside the meat. That's what makes it so moist!

roasted pork loin on a roasting rack

How to Cook Pork Loin

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. You will eventually lower the temperature of the oven, but you start it higher to give the outside of the pork loin a little extra heat to really trap in the moisture!
Next, rub all sides of the pork with the seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil). You can put them on individually or mix up a little dry rub for yourself in a small bowl. I personally like having it all mixed together before putting it on the meat. That way I know it's being evenly rubbed throughout the entire roast!
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!!! Place your pork loin fat side up in your roasting pan. By having the fat on top, you're allowing the fat layer to baste the roast as it cooks. This is the step that keeps the pork from becoming dry and tough!
Cook the pork loin for 10 minutes in the 400-degree oven. This will help to create a kind of "crust" on the meat to help keep the juices inside.
Next, lower your oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook your roast for about 20 minutes per pound of meat. Yes, it takes some time. But believe me, it's worth the wait!
Once the pork loin has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, pull it out of the oven. Then cover the roasted pork loin loosely with a piece of foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes. This is yet another very important step in order to keep the juices inside the meat where you want them to stay!! Patience is a virtue 🙂

whole pork loin after roasting

Every time I make this pork loin roast recipe, I find that my family gravitates towards the kitchen basicallybegging for dinner to be ready. There's something about the long roasting time that makes the smell of delicious pork waft throughout the entire house. My oldest son always says that those last 10 minutes of "rest" time for the meat feels like aneternity!

How Long to Cook Pork Loin

This recipe takes a bit of time to cook. It's not one of those "30-minute meals," but that cooking time is what helps to make it truly the perfect pork loin.

You'll need 10 minutes to oven sear the roast, and then about 20 minutes of cooking time per pound of meat.

So you'll definitely want to plan ahead. This is not a last-minute recipe.

One great thing about this recipe is that it is very hands-off in terms of prep work. Just a quick dry rub and pop it in the oven! So, if you've got time on your hands, but also want to be productive in other places around the house, this is the pork loin recipe for you!

sliced pork loin on a serving platter

More fo my family's favorite easy meals!

Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa
Best Classic Meatloaf
BBQ Pork Loin Tacos
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
more MAIN DISH recipes

slices of pork loin on a plate with pasta salad

Tools used to make this Perfectly Moist Pork Loin recipe

Roasting Pan: while this isn't a pan that getsdaily use in our house. When I pull it out, you know we're going to have a great meal. Every kitchen should have a reliable roasting pan!

Meat Thermometer: I love this tool because it takes the guesswork out of cooking meat. Just stick it into the middle of your pork loin and see if you've reached the correct internal temperature. No need to cut into the roast, lose some juices, just to find out it needs more cooking time!

*This post originally posted on 09/03/2013.

Perfectly Moist Pork Loin

Perfectly Moist Pork Loin is the ULTIMATE "set it and forget it" recipe! It's easy to prep, easy to cook, tastes delicious & your house will smell amazing!!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork loin recipe

Servings: 8

Calories: 339 kcal

4-5 pounds pork loin roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rub entire pork roast with olive oil. Then rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powders on all sides.
Place pork in roasting pan fat side up.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Lower heat to 350 degrees F and cook for 20 per pound until the internal temperature reads 145 degrees F.
Remove pan from oven, and put a piece of foil loosely on top of the roast. Let meat rest for 10 minutes.
Transfer roast to a cutting board to slice for serving.