Herb-Roasted Pork Loin

By mirelsonp

Recipe source: Gourmet | April 2009

Ingredients

• For pork:
• 1 (4-to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 6 rosemary sprigs, divided
• 8 large thyme sprigs, divided
• 8 sage sprigs, divided
• 8 savory sprigs (optional), divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (4 to 5)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• For sauce:
• 1/3 cup dry vermouth
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Roast pork:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Pat pork dry and season with 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
2. Straddle a flameproof roasting pan over 2 burners, then heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on all sides, then transfer to a large plate.

3. Put a metal rack in pan and arrange half of herbs down middle of rack. Stir together shallots, garlic, mustard, and 1 tablespoon oil and smear over top and sides of roast, then put roast, fat side up, on top of herbs. Roast 1 hour.
4. Toss remaining herbs with remaining teaspoon oil and arrange on top of roast.

5. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 to 145°F, 5 to 15 minutes more (temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees as it rests). Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 to 25 minutes.

6. Make sauce while pork rests:
Remove rack from pan and discard herbs from rack. Straddle pan across 2 burners on medium heat. Add vermouth and mustard and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Add broth and simmer 3 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-cup measure. If you have more than 1 1/2 cups, boil to reduce; if less, add water.

7. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk in vermouth mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

8. Serve pork with sauce.