Pork Roast

Mom's Sunday dinners were always something special, and pork roast was one of her Sunday standards. What made Sunday dinners unique was  that they were often classic dishes that usually required more time to prepare. Pork roast does not actually take too long, but long enough that it was not practical for a weeknight dinner and perfect for a Sunday dinner, especially in the winter. The leftovers make great sandwiches or could be used in a stir fry.

Making a roast is surprisingly easy. At the grocery store, you should look for a boneless pork loin of about two to three pounds. There is no need to trim the fat from the meat because the fat will give the roast flavor as it cooks. While I have a roasting pan, it is a very large pan used for turkey and too large for this roast. So I improvised by using aluminum foil coiled like a snake in a circle to make a base for the roast. The purpose of the roasting pan is to slightly elevate the meat so that the heat can circulate around the meat.

In my recollection, Mom just used salt and pepper to season the roast. But any other seasonings, such as rosemary, thyme or sage could be used. For this roast, I used Lawry's seasoning salt, pepper, and oregano. Mom always made potatoes with the pork roast, but I suppose other vegetables could be used in addition to potatoes. By baking the potatoes in the roast pan, the potatoes pick up the flavorings of the roast.

Pork Roast

• 2-3 pound boneless pork loin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• seasoning (salt, pepper, etc.)
• 4 small potatoes, quartered

Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan (or a pan with aluminum foil coil). Mix the olive oil with seasoning and brush onto the pork. Roast the pork for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the interior is at least 160-170 degrees. When there is about 45 minutes left of roasting time, place the potatoes in the pan around the roast. When there is about 20 minutes left, turn the potatoes for even cooking. When the roast is done, allow it to stand for about 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!