Rosemary Bread Crumb Roast Pork Loin
Lean Pork Loin is brined for juiciness and flavor, then covered in a rosemary bread crumb mixture, for a simple and delicious weeknight dinner.
When I look around at the pork loin recipes I find in cookbooks or around the web, I’m always shocked to see that the majority of them don’t call for brining. I think to myself, am I brining for no reason? Can I skip that step altogether?
Even when cooking these unbrined pork loins to the perfect temperature, they have always turned out dry! Dry, dry, dry! I just hate dry meat, don’t you?
What gets me is that brining is so simple to do and it makes the pork significantly better, so why not give it an hour of brining? Sometimes it’s a pain to plan ahead, but it gives you a little safety net from overcooking and the meat is juicier, plumper, and nicely seasoned. Pork loin is such a lean cut, and even with this rockin’ rosemary bread crumb topping, it needs a little brining help.
To make the rosemary bread crumb topping, start by running your fingers down the rosemary stems to remove the leaves:
Mince the leaves well with a sharp knife:
Mix the minced rosemary with a mixture of Panko and Italian bread crumbs, then add a little olive oil to moisten.
Now, do you see how the pork loin is naturally in a flatter, oval shape?
If we let it cook like that, the pork loin will cook unevenly. So to avoid overcooking certain parts of the loin, tie it up nice and tight into a circular log to help it cook evenly.
Brush the pork loin with Dijon mustard and roll the entire loin into the rosemary bread crumbs. Off to the oven!
After about an hour, let the pork loin rest for at least 15 minutes so the pork can come to its final perfect temperature of 145 degrees F, and so the juices can redistribute throughout the meat.
Slice and enjoy!
Rosemary Bread Crumb Roast Pork Loin
Ingredients
For the brine:
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 whole peppercorns
For the pork:
- 3 lb boneless pork loin
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1.5 tbsp minced rosemary
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, then add 1/4 cup of salt. Stir to dissolve completely, then add the bay leaf and peppercorns. Remove the brine from the heat, and cool the brine down by transferring it to a bowl that can fit into another bowl filled with an ice bath. While the brine chills, you may trim any visible fat off the pork loin, if you wish. This is a matter of preference. Once the brine has chilled, add the pork loin to the brine and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
- Remove the pork loin from the brine and discard the brining liquid. Dry the surface of the pork with a paper towel, then brush the entire surface with the dijon mustard.
- Use kitchen twine to pull together and tie the pork loin into as circular of a shape as possible. This will help the pork loin cook evenly (and also look nicer).
- Stir to combine both bread crumbs, the rosemary, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and the olive oil. Press this mixture on the surface of the pork loin, all over the whole loin.
- Place the pork loin on top of the wire rack and roast for approximately an hour, but you want to cook the pork loin until a thermometer inserted through the side into the center of the roast reads 138 degrees F. Remove the pork loin from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes (you may tent it with foil to keep it warm). The resting stage is very important because the residual heat in the pork will further cook it to approximately 145 degrees F, and the juices will be allowed to redistribute. Slice the pork when ready to serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
28 Comments on “Rosemary Bread Crumb Roast Pork Loin”
Yummers! And with all the delish crumbs, it would keep the pork nice and moist 🙂
THat looks wonderful! I love crunchy and juicy combinations. Pinning this baby.
It always seems I see great new recipes I want to try, the day AFTER I make something. Luckily, Pork loins were on sale so I bought 2 and put one in the freezer. I will be trying this soon!
Oooh, this looks so good. I’ve been slowly adding pork into our nightly meals when I’m sick of chicken and fish, so I’m happy for some tips on avoiding dry meat! It definitely is the worst. Eek!
I don’t normally brine, but mostly because I always forget about it! Definitely going to try this recipe!
Okay, so you’re a genius! My pork is always dry, and now I know how to fix it!
Joanne, this is my kind of meal! Well, except for the breadcrumbs, but I could easily replace those with some almond flour and then I would gobble this up!
Thanks Carolyn! Now you have got me curious about this almond flour! Mmm!
Joanne,
This was FAR & AWAY the BEST pork loin recipe I’ve ever prepared! I’m guessing the brining was the difference. Mine took quite a bit longer than an hour, but luckily I had a probe thermometer in place and waited for 138°. My wife made some fresh apple sauce which went perfectly with one of the best dinners we’ve had in a long time. Thanks!
How wonderful!!! I’m so happy to hear it, Stanley. And the fresh apple sauce with it sounds incredible. Sounds like you and your wife made a really fantastic dinner together!
I LOVE this! Im always looking for new ways to make pork loin! This sounds wonderful!
Thanks Alaina! I agree, it’s always nice to try the pork loin made different ways.
I love a well cooked pork loin but so often they can be dry and tough to eat. Brining does make the difference. I’ve never done a roast like this but you can bet I’ll do this with the next one. That pork looks fantastic.
Thanks Maureen! Hip hip hooray for brining =)
Pork is a tough meat to get perfect which is why I don’t eat much of it but yours looks bang on! I love that you used my favorite herb everrrr!
Thanks Gerry! I agree, there’s no fat to help us out here! haha. At least the brining gives us a little wiggle room.
Great recipe, Joanne! Such a pretty pork loin — and perfectly cooked through. 😀
Thanks Tommy! I think it’s a beauty too =)
This looks so good! And your pictures are beautiful! I love rosemary, and my husband loves pork. I’ve never thought about encrusting a pork loin this way. I will have to give it a try. Thanks!
Thanks Crystal, I hope that you get to make it and enjoy!
Can the brine be made ahead of time and chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it? I was thinking of making it the night before to save me the steps of cooking/chiiling it when making the next evening for dinner. Thanks! It looks wonderful.
Bryn, you are so smart! Absolutely the brine can be made ahead of time (as much as a few days) and that’s a great way to make it.
This looks great! Pork loin does seem to be a bit hit-and-miss as far as being dry or not (at least for our family!) but this seems like a great idea! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Thanks Myrtle! Pork loin’s lean character is great…because it’s on the lower calorie side, but it’s so tricky to get right (that’s why brining is so awesome)!
This is one gorgeous pork loin! I find rosemary to be one of the best herbs to pair with pork meat. Yum!
Thanks Anna, I agree! Rosemary + pork is so lovely!