Garlic and Rosemary Mediterranean Pork Roast

By
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/1/22
Pork Roast

dirkr / Creative RF / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
347 Calories
22g Fat
2g Carbs
34g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 347
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 1239mg 54%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 484mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Too often a pork roast is dry and bland; the problem then and now is over-cooking—people were scared of trichinosis and thought overcooking it solved the problem, but this is a shibboleth (see note 1 below).

In this recipe, we pack the roast with garlic and rosemary, brown it in olive oil and then slow-roast it to a perfect medium.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound pork sirloin roast

  • 3 large cloves garlic, cut lengthwise into slivers

  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 250 F.

  3. Using a small sharp, pointed knife, cut 10 to 12 deep slits/pockets into the top of the roast. The slits should be randomly spaced.

  4. Stuff each slit with a sliver of garlic and a leaf or two of rosemary.

  5. Season all sides generously with salt and pepper.

  6. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

  7. Once the oil is hot (you will see wisps of steam rising) add roast and brown well on all sides.

  8. Transfer roast to a rack in a small roasting pan, place in the center of the oven and cook until the internal temperature is 145 F for 60 to 70 minutes.

  9. Turn roast over at 30-minute mark.

  10. Place roast on a cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

  11. Slice and serve. (The meat should be a very pale pink color.)

  12. Enjoy!

Tips

  • Trichinosis is killed at about 132 F.
  • If you don't already have an instant-read thermometer, you need one. Don’t argue; just get one.
  • Tying the roast before cooking makes the shape more uniform, so it cooks more evenly, and it also keeps the garlic and rosemary from falling out of the slits while browning.