Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast is an easy recipe with video for juicy, tender roasted pork loin. Perfect for weeknight meals and holidays!
Whether it’s Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Chops, or this delicious Garlic Roast Pork Loin, oven roasted Pork can be a busy weeknight Dinner or the Main Dish in a special occasion meal.
Looking to impress your guests with a dish that appears elaborate but is surprisingly easy to make? Look no further than the Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast. This show-stopping yet effortless roast will leave everyone in awe, and you’ll enjoy the cost savings compared to a pricier Perfect Garlic Prime Rib for a holiday feast. Whether you’re seeking the best cooking methods, roasting techniques, accompanying dishes, or seasoning tips, this recipe is the ultimate way to cook a 4 lb pork loin in the oven.
This Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast is a breeze to prepare and requires minimal time investment. The magic lies in the choice of meat: a boneless, center-cut pork loin. Unlike its tenderloin counterpart, this cut comes with its own built-in baster thanks to a thin layer of fat on top. By boldly seasoning with fresh garlic and utilizing this fat cap, you’ll create a wonderfully flavorful and succulent meal with a crispy seasoned crust.
Some suggestions for accompanying dishes with Pork Loin Roast are to keep them mildly seasoned so they don’t clash with the garlic flavor and delicate, succulent meat. Think cozy, comforting sides like Mashed Potatoes or Mac and Cheese, plus some fresh Roasted Broccoli. Even a light Beet Salad would be perfect with this amazing Garlic Pork Loin Roast.
What is the difference between pork loin and pork loin roast?
The term “pork loin” typically refers to the cut of meat itself, which is a long and relatively lean section of the pig located along the back. It can be sold boneless or bone-in. On the other hand, “pork loin roast” specifically denotes a preparation method where the pork loin is roasted in the oven or cooked in a similar manner, often seasoned or marinated. In other words, pork loin roast refers to the cooked and seasoned version of the pork loin cut, highlighting its preparation style rather than just the cut of meat itself.
How to Make Ultimate Garlic Pork
- Prep: Preheat the oven. Place the pork loin in a roasting pan (or baking pan with high sides) with the thick fat layer side up.
- Season: Cover the fat cap with garlic. Mix the salt, pepper and paprika together and rub into the meat. To have seasonings adhere even more, score the top with your knife in an x pattern. You don’t have to cut very deeply, just enough to create grooves the seasonings can sit in.
- Roast: Roast the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-160 degrees, about 60-70 minutes. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Delicious Side Dishes for Pork
FAQs about Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast
You can certainly make Pork Loin Roast in the slow cooker! There are instructions in this post or you can try these other slow cooker Pork Loin recipes. This one is wrapped in bacon to make a Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin, or you can try making Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin where the pork is stuffed with sliced apples.
The National Pork Board recommends cooking to an internal temperature between 145-160 degrees. This is a perfectly safe temperature to cook to even though it used to be higher in the past. Since you are cooking a roast here and it will continue to cook through once outside the oven, you can aim for 150-155 degrees and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
To cook a pork loin roast safely, the cooking time is roughly 25 minutes per pound at 375 degrees for up to 4 pounds. For how long to cook a 4 lb pork loin in the oven it’s about 1 hour 45 minutes, up to 2 hours. If you are cooking a roast that’s 5-10 pounds, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for about 10 minutes per pound.
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Key Ingredients
- Pork Loin: Center-cut pork loin is a tender, juicy cut of meat that is ideal for roasting. Pork loin roast is much larger and fattier than pork tenderloin so it stays juicy and flavorful with longer cooking time.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is the perfect robust and aromatic seasoning for pork loin roast. Since this is the Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast, there is plenty of pungent, fresh garlic!
- Salt: Kosher salt aids in tenderizing the meat and brings out the natural saltiness of the pork.
- Pepper: Coarse ground black pepper adds a subtle spiciness and warmth to the seasoning.You want to use fresh ground pepper for the best flavor.
- Paprika: Paprika is a spice made from ground dried peppers. It adds a mild, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor to the roasted pork.
Can Garlic Pork Loin Roast be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this Garlic Roast Pork Loin recipe ahead of time to save prep time and cooking time. You can use the slow cooking method (below) in the morning so it’s ready to go by dinner time. You can also rub the spices into the pork and chill it for up to 2 days in the fridge before cooking.
Variations
- Aromatics: Add some aromatic vegetables to this pork loin recipe like onions, celery, carrots, whole garlic cloves, etc. Chop onions and other vegetables into large pieces and sprinkle them around the roasting pan without crowding the piece of meat.
- Apples: Apples and pork are a natural pairing with the sweet, fruity apples complimenting the salty, succulent pork. Add 3-4 tart green apples, quartered, to the baking pan then you can serve the baked apples as a quick and easy side dish.
- Herb-Crusted: Create a flavorful herb crust by combining minced garlic with a mixture of fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Season the meat as usual then coat with herb mix before roasting.
- Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin: Wrap the pork loin with strips of bacon before roasting, and bake on a wire rack in the pan so the roast isn’t sitting in grease while cooking. Bacon adds a smoky flavor and keeps the meat moist.
Slow Cooker Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast
- Place a 3-4 pound pork loin in the slow cooker.
- Rub minced garlic on top of the pork loin.
- In a small bowl combine paprika, salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Rub the blend of seasonings all over the pork.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook pork loin for approximately 6-8 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the pork loin from the cooker and let the meat rest for 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Instant Pot Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast
- Add a tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot and turn on Saute function.
- When the oil is hot, sear a 2.5-3 pound pork loin on all sides until browned.
- Remove the pork from the pot and set it aside.
- Add minced garlic to the pot and saute for a minute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pot with 2 cups chicken broth and add the wire rack.
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, and paprika. Season meat with spices.
- Place the pork fat side up on the rack.
- Securely close the lid and set the pressure release valve to the sealing position.
- Manually cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- Quick release pressure and let pork loin rest for 5-10 minutes before serving in individual slices.
More Roasted Pork Recipes
How to Store
- Store: Let the Garlic Pork Loin Roast cool down, then seal it in an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 4 days. This pork dish should be stored after no more than 2 hours at room temperature.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat leftover pork loin roast is heat up 3-4 slices at at time in a skillet with some chicken broth. Cook over medium heat and flip occasionally until the meat is heated through so that meat doesn’t burn or dry out.
- Freeze: Once the meat has cooled completely, wrap with plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container. It will stay good for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating the pork as directed above.
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork loin , not tenderloin
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the pork loin to your baking pan.
- Coat with the garlic on top of the fat cap.
- Mix the seasonings (salt, pepper and paprika) in small bowl and rub it on the pork.
- Cook the pork for 60-75 minutes or until it has reached a temperature of 150-160 degrees.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for five minutes before serving.
Video
Nutrition
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There must be something wrong with this recipe. It says: “For a full pork loin reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for about 10 minutes per pound.” 10 minutes per pound? That can’t be right. Does it mean 10 additional minutes per pound?
Sorry for the confusion…If you’re cooking a full loin (8-10 pounds), cook at 350 degrees for 10 min per pound. For example, if your loin is 8 pounds, you’ll be cooking it for 80 minutes at 350 degrees. Hope this helps!
I had a 4.8 for pound almost 5 lb and I cooked it for about an hour and 20 minutes. At 350°. It was absolutely fabulous.
Made. My recipe but coat wrong side of pork roast . What do I do?
The seasoning go all over the pork, it’s just the garlic that gets coated on the fat cap. Hope this helps!
I made this recipe for my family and they absolutely loved it . I didn’t cook mine for quite as long as we like our pork loin medium rare . I , however, only had a very small portion because I have lost 80 lbs over the last year and plan on continuing with the healthy lifestyle that got me there . It was delicious and I definitely would have liked to have a full portion but I only saw the headline for the nutrition information but no information that followed. Am I missing something?
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I’ve updated the recipe card to show the information.
I have a 3.5lb roast. Cook at 375 or 350?
I would recommend 375.
Looking for my Christmas Eve pork loin recipe. Would love to try this, but wondering about a gravy ? Can I make a pork gravy from the drippings?
Of course! Melt butter down, add flour and stir for about a minute. Add in the pork drippings and extra broth, if needed, to make gravy. Enjoy!
Sabrina, this is a winner! My 3 pounds pork loin came out so moist and flavorful! I roasted it for 75 minutes. My family loved it! My 16 year old son can’t have enough. He suggested that we have this dish every day! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
That’s so awesome! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Your recipe looks gorgeous and delicious. My roast is 5.22#. Should I reduce the oven temperature to 350? Either way, about how long should I expect it to be in the oven? Many thanks!
Yes, you’ll want the oven set for 350. You’ll want to cook it for 20 min per pound. Make sure your meat thermometer reads 145 and then you’ll know it’s ready. Enjoy!
Hi! I saw the pan you used has like ridges in it. If my pan is just flat should I put a rack in it or just cook it in the flat pan alone? Looking forward to trying this.
You’ll be okay either way. Enjoy!
I cooked a 3.3 pound roast for 85 minutes as directed, recipe followed to the letter. Hands down the best tasting and most tender loin roast I’ve ever had! Thank you!!
My pleasure, Bob! So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks amazing! Your pictures look like it was browned before putting in the oven, but you made no mention of that. Do I brown it beforehand? Thanks!
Thanks so much!! No need to brown it before. 🙂
I’ve got the roast in the oven now. The only issue I had is that when I rubbed the spice mix on, it rubbed all the garlic off. In the end, I pierced the roast all over with a knife and inserted the pieces of garlic.
I was a little skeptical with so few ingredients however we just finished dinner and this was a hit (and I have three kids aged 5 and under). I did sprinkle some dried parsley and chives on top just to add some color, I will be making this again for sure!
Yay!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and letting me know how much you all enjoyed it! I know how hard it can be at times to find meals that that the whole family raves over.
Hi I’m caleb idk where I went wrong & I’m bummed, I cook my 4.83 lion roast 2hrs on 375* in my oven & it came out very dry. I seam like I’m the only one to mess this up. I’m going to try it it again. It’s my 1st roast ever so I guess there’s going to be trail & error with my oven. But was really looking forward to a Very juicy roast & it came out with an Internal temp of 192* why to high & dry. The saying grace is the fat back still giving it lots of flavor. Making a brown gravy to put over top of it now. It’s only for my wife & I & leftovers for days & use for other kinds of meals. Any help in what I did wrong? Should I of done 350* with a 4.83lb roast? It was hard to tell by readings & post? I was kinda in that gray area in weight. Thank u so much, the taste of seasoning is fantastic by the way!
It sounds like your oven might run a bit hot. I’m glad that you’re wanting to try new recipes so the next time you try it, give it less time.
Should I brown it on the stove before putting it in the oven or doesit stay pretty moist without doing so? Thanks!
No need to brown it before. Save yourself a step. 🙂
This was so unbelievably effortless and GOOD! The whole family loved it, and I will be making it again and again.
Thank you!
Dry. I followed the recipe, but it was very dry.
Hi! I plan to make this tomorrow but I was wondering how long do I have to cook if I’m adding fingerling potatoes and carrots to roast on the side? The pork loin is around 5lbs. Thanks!
I would think it may take around 2 1/2 hours for a pork loin that size with added vegetables. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
I’m a 64 year old man, who has been cooking, Cajun food most of my life. But this year I had heart surgery, and found I needed to start cooking more healthy. So if you could, a Cajun who now lives in Texas now. Needs help with this.
I am cooking a pork roast to night. In the oven. Hopefully it will turn out ok.
Oh I have cooked your recipe before, it was delicious. Thanks Chep
This one is a keeper!!! It was amazing! It’s simple and delicious and I lost too much of it to begging dogs. I couldn’t blame them. For the last half hour the smell was so good that I kept checking the timer to see if it was done yet. I would make no adjustments to this. None! I’m glad I found your site and will be back often for the other gorgeous recipes.
Lucky dogs!! Thanks for dropping back by to let me know how much you enjoyed it! Look forward to seeing you around the site.
Can you make this with pork tenderloin?
You can adjust the recipe to use a pork tenderloin and cook at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes (or until a thermometer inserted in tenderloin registers 155°).
You’re Wonderful, Wonderful!
Patience is Your virtue.
Same questions over and over,
You’re so sweet in your replies.
Not a question for you but a God Bless You. I Hope that you have a wonderful weekend !?
You’re so sweet, Sarah! Thank you.
Can I use this recipe for a pork loin centre roast? It doesn’t have a fat cap on it. Is that still ok?
It needs to have a fat cap on it for this recipe. Sorry
There is no liquid is this correct? It’s been in the oven for 40 mins and no liquid. Is this correct ???
Yes, there is no liquid added to this. I hope you enjoyed it!
Making this recipe with a 5.87lb. Pork loin. How long do I cook it and at what temperature?
I would recommend cooking it at 350 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature between 145-160°F (20-25 min per pound, so roughly 2 hours).
Hi! I have a 4.44 lb that I want to cook. Unfortunately, I don’t have a meat thermometer. Can you tell me roughly how long to cook it? Thanks!
It’ll roughly need between 85 minutes and an hour and 45 min to cook. It’s really best to use a meat thermometer to get an accurate reading when checking for doneness.
How long should I cook it in the slow cooker?
Low for 6-8 hours.
I made the Garlic Pork Loin Roast tonight for my family and my visiting mother in law. Both my husband and his mom said this was the most tender Pork Loin they had ever eaten. It actually came out of the oven looking like the picture. I did tie it up as I saw this in the comments. It was delicious! I served it with sauteed mushrooms and brown gravy. Thank you for making the recipe so easy to follow.
You’re welcome Molly! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
do I add water??
No need to add water to this recipe. 🙂
Do you cover this while cooking?
Nope
Just found your site yesterday and am LOVING it!! I want to try it all! I especially appreciate your collection of slow cooker recipes. I don’t use my slow cooker alot, but when I do want a slow cooker meal, well, that’s what I want. Made this tonight and with a couple of tweaks, it was stellar. A couple of suggestions about pork loin that your readers may benefit from that I didn’t see on your site. Since I’m a newby, possibly I missed a tutorial. First, it’s SO darn inexpensive. I usually buy a 9-10 pound whole loin. It has to be one of the least expensive good meats out there, price per pound. I rinse it, pat it dry, then thinking of what meals I may want to make with it, cut it up accordingly. I usually cut a 3 or so pound roast, a number of thick-ish chops, then a good bit of really thin sliced pieces for dishes like piccata. I generally leave the fat cap on since it can always be trimmed off later. For example, if doing a roast, you may want to leave the fat on since it can be a moisture source since it’s so lean. Once cut up, I seal with my food sealer and into the freezer it goes. Next, since pork loin is particularly lean and very easy to dry out, consider brining the roast. What ever chemical magic that happens with brining, it keeps lean meat moist. True for pork loin as well as poultry. There are a million brines on the web, but basically, you need 1 quart of water, about 1/4 cup salt and about 1/3 cup of something sweet…sugar, apple juice, cola….whatever has some sugar in it. Don’t heat your water, just stir until it’s all dissolved. Adjust to make sure you have enough to COVER your meat. Let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours minimum, much more for a bigger piece of meat. Lastly, with the loin roasts, sometimes the thing can be kind of flat. Use butcher twine tied around about every 1-11/2 inches to cinch into a nice, evenly “round” roast. It’ll cook more evenly and more true to temp. Always brown your roasts a little on all sides before proceeding with whatever recipe you might be using, paying special attention to rendering down the fat.
I’ve just found your site today and am loving it!! I’ve looked and found about a zillion recipes that I want to try and especially appreciate your slow cooker collection. I don’t use my slow cooker a lot, but when I want a slow cooker recipe, well, that’s what I want ? I did want to offer a couple of suggestions about pork loin. It is SO inexpensive and if prepared right, delicious. I buy whole (9-10 lb) loins then cut them into roasts (maybe 3 lbs each, chops, thin slices for piccatta, etc.) I package and freeze using a vacuum sealer. The other thing…..a lot of times, your roast will be kind of flat. If so, once it’s trimmed and seasoned tie butcher string around every inch or so and tie snuggly to pull into a nice “round” shape. This makes it easier to cook to an even temp. Thanks so much for your site. I know Ill be a frequent visitor!!
All great tips, thanks!
Made this last night. It was AMAZING.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for your post. I had a behemoth 6 lb top loin that I divided just for this (and froze the the remainder). Super delightful…the only small change was to score the fat deeper into the meat so as to stuff the slivered garlic prior to the rub. Plastic wrapped the dressed loin in the fridge for 2 hrs (due to, well, LIFE, hahaha). Result: the most succulent pork loin infused with roasted garlic. Cannot wait for sandwiches tomorrow.
That sounds amazing!
Unbelievabley easy and tasty. Asparagus goes well with this pork recipe.
I’m getting ready to make this for the third time. My family loves this recipe and I love how simple it is!
This was honestly SUPER delicious!! As my husband said, it’s one of the best roasted pork dishes I’ve ever made and it was incredibly simple.
I only had black garlic instead of regular and due to its consistency, I was able to just rub it all over the pork without having to chop it. That was great and added a delicious layer of flavor. My roast was 2lb and needed about 50 min to get to 145 (which, just FYI, is the new accepted internal temp for pork – yay!). It was so juicy and I paired it with an onion fennel puree.
Will be saving this one! Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 stars! So glad you enjoyed it!
I plan to make this tomorrow. Sounds very good.
Plan on cooking a 12 LB pork loin tomorrow . How long is the cooking time? I do have a thermometer but would like a idea so know when to put in oven at 375*?
This looks amazing!
So sorry it took a while to respond. 🙁 I hope it turned out amazing for you. For the future though, when cooking a loin that large, I would reduce the tempature to 350 and cook it for 10 min per pound so roughly 2 hours.
If I understand correctly, the garlic goes on top of the fat cap, and the seasonings are rubbed into the pork meat. Should seasoning also be added to the top of the garlic/fat?
Yes 🙂
So are you supposed to eat the layer of fat when serving? I hope you don’t mind me asking.
It’ll render down so whatever fat is left is a matter of preference to the person eating it.
Could this be cooked in a crockpot? …
I have an amazing recipe for a Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin!
Could this 3 # Pork Roast be put in a slow cooker if so for how long & what temp.
Thank you so much it sounds so good!
I would suggest cooking a 3 pound pork roast in a slow cooker for low for 10-12 hours or high 6-8. I hope you enjoy it!
I bought a 6 pound roast…375 for roughly how long???
You’ll want to cook it for 8-11 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.
What kind of pan did you use? Was the roast just placed in the pan or on a rack in the pan?
Right before the recipe in the post, I added a link to the 9×13 pan I used for the recipe. Hope this helps!
I don’t see anywhere that says what the oven setting should be? The only mention is to turn it down to 350 for a full loin. Does the half loin get cooked at 375?
Yes, 375. Sorry, I must have missed putting that in the recipe card. Thanks for letting me know.
Hello 🙂 Is this cooked in 350F? I would love to try this one as it looks really appetizing! 🙂
Thanks, Lisette! You need to cook it at 375. I really hope you enjoy it!!
At what oven temperature do you bake a 3-4 lb. roast? You only said at a high heat- what does that mean?
Thanks for catching that! The oven should be at 375. I just updated the post to reflect that.
Maybe I missed it, but I don’t see what temperature to cook at if it is not a FULL loin…??
So sorry about that. Obviously I need more coffee before hitting post, lol. The temperature is 375. I updated the post.
Do you cover this with foil while it’s in the oven?
No need to cover this while it’s in the oven. I hope you enjoy!
Oh my gosh! This looks so good!
Thanks Krista!
This pork loin looks absolutely incredible! Your tips are so helpful!
Thanks Anna!
Definitely trying this! I know my family will love it!
Enjoy!
I love a good pork recipe! I have to try this out soon!
I hope you enjoy it, Amy!
This roast looks amazing, and I love how simple it is!
Thanks Dee!
I love pork roast and garlic and your Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast looks so good! I appreciate you sharing the recipe, Sabrina!
You’re welcome Deb! I hope you enjoy it!
How long should I bake a 6 lb. pork loin and at what temp. ?
You’ll want cook it for 8-11 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.
You sure about that? I’ve had a 1.5 pound roast in the oven for 45 mins at 375F and internal temp is only 75 degrees…
You’ll want to cook it until it has an internal temperature of 145-160°F, which usually takes 20-25 minutes per pound.