Father’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to spoil our dads, but sometimes it isn’t easy to figure out how. Another fishing lure? Yet another pocket knife? Even a dad can get too many of these wonderful things. When it’s hard to decide on a gift-wrap-able gift for my own pop, I am always glad I can fall back on the one thing that no man can have too much of: FOOD. You think I jest, but I have a dad, a husband, and three sons, and all have assured me that food is always a good idea, no matter the occasion.

So, what to make for that special man? The first thing that comes to mind is meat and potatoes. Come on, admit it, you were thinking it, too. But we want our meal to be a bit more than the usual roast and mashed taters. We want a meal that will satisfy his carnivorous taste buds, be something he doesn’t have often, and also be something that doesn’t take away all the time you want to spend with your daddy.

My pop loves pork. Especially roasts and loin. I know that loin is a more expensive cut of meat, but this is a celebration. The great thing about this recipe is that it cooks the meat and a side dish simultaneously, giving you the extra time to prepare the other foods and set a lovely table.

Spoil the men in your life with this delicious recipe: Herbed Pork Loin with Oven-Roasted Vegetables. Yum! Click To Tweet

The meal I am proposing starts with a pork loin over veggies that roast in the pan juices. To the side is corn on the cob (just because it’s a favorite of my pop) and a bakery-bought bread. I opted for bakery bread because making a new recipe can be intimidating, and you might want some easy choices. (However, if you feel up to trying a homemade bread, but don’t have a lot of experience with it, check out my post Overnight Artisan Bread. You don’t have to do any kneading, the dough rises while you sleep, and you can cook the bread in the morning and have it ready for supper! It’s a win/win recipe that you’re sure to love.) Finally, a colorful side salad rounds out our Father’s Day meal. Are you ready?

You need to start your meal approximately 2 ½ hours before you intend to eat. To begin the meal, preheat the oven to 350 degrees as you prepare the vegetables. You will need a large roasting dish, or rimmed baking sheet. I used a big sheet cake pan.

For the side dishes you will need:

• salad greens
• assorted salad add-ins (strawberries, snow peas, cucumbers, etc.)
• dressing of choice
• bake-at-home bread or rolls
• ears of corn on the cob or other desired vegetable

Here is what you need for the roasted loin and veggie dish:

Roasted Vegetables:

• approximately 3 lbs of potatoes (I prefer yellow ones. They have a tender skin and don’t need to be peeled.)
• 4-5 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 1 container of mushrooms (8 oz.)
• salt and pepper
• Italian seasonings
• minced garlic, fresh or canned
• olive oil

Chop the potatoes into cubes about ½ an inch square. Chop the carrots about half the size of the potatoes; they take longer to become tender. Leave the mushrooms in large pieces. Small ones can remain whole, others halved. Don’t remove the stems; they are just as tasty as the caps. Peel the onion and cut into quarters, separating the layers like leaves. Put all in a large bowl and drizzle this all liberally with olive oil, then add seasonings to taste. Throw in a couple teaspoons of garlic and toss the veggies to coat. Dump into the roasting pan. You will know if you have seasoned it well enough because you should see the spices. If they have disappeared, add more. You don’t want bland veggies!

I try to arrange the mushrooms down the middle of the pan. Mushrooms are delicate and cook much more quickly than root vegetables. Putting them under the meat protects them during the cooking time and also allows the meat juices to baste them. Now for the meat…

Roasted Loin:

• 4 lb pork loin
• 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 5-6 tsp minced garlic, fresh or canned
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Strip the leaves off of the rosemary stems and roughly chop. Put the herb into a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients (except pork) and blend to make a paste. If you do not have a processor you can chop the rosemary and garlic very finely and then use the flat of your knife to crush and scrape them into a paste. Add the seasonings and oil and mix.

The pork loin will have a fat layer on the underside. Leave this intact, as it will render and help to cook the vegetables underneath. Lay the loin, fat side down, in the center of the pan, covering the mushrooms as much as possible. Spread the herb paste over the top and sides.

Place in the 350 degree oven to cook for approximately 25 minutes a pound. This will give you 1 hour and 40 minutes to cook the meat and 15-20 to let it rest. Set your timer.

Stir the surrounding vegetables several times during the cooking so that they don’t burn and so that veggies on the bottom can come to the top to be roasted. They will get dark and caramelize.

You can make your salad any time while the meat cooks—just keep it in the refrigerator and wait to add the dressing. Dad is getting his meat and potatoes, so you can use the salad to throw in some color and variety. Some colorful mixed greens are a great base. Then add toppings with differing textures. Sugar snap peas are lovely, and so are strawberries. Dried cranberries and slivered almonds are also nice. I shaved Parmesan cheese over mine. Have dad try out a new dressing. My favorite is Aldi’s Raspberry Vinaigrette with poppy seeds. A great salad is the perfect counterpoint to the heavier foods you are cooking.

About 30 minutes before your meat should be through cooking, start the water for boiling the corn. Shuck and de-silk the cobs and have them ready.

Check the meat about 15-20 minutes before it should be done. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. You want it to read 160 degrees, which is medium for pork. When the pork reaches this temperature, remove pan from oven and place meat on a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for about 15 minutes. Resting allows all of the natural juices to redistribute through the meat. If you do not allow it to rest, cutting will allow all the juices to run out of the meat, leaving it with a dry texture.

Don’t turn off the oven. Use it to bake or warm your bread or rolls now.

Unless you intend to serve plated meals yourself, scrape out the roasted vegetables into a warmed bowl and cover to keep in heat.

While the meat is resting, throw your ears of corn into the boiling water. I like my corn to be crisp-tender, so I only cook long enough for the water to return to a boil before I pull out the ears.

If you serve your salad on a separate plate, like I did, then your meal is going to look pretty bland. When you serve foods that are monochromatic, perk up the meal with colorful plates. It makes the food more appealing. This is a fun occasion and it celebrates a special man, so go all out. Put out the pretty napkins and make the table look nice. All the men in my life appreciate the extra time it takes to make a meal memorable.

I know that the time and affection that you pour into this meal will warm the heart of your Father’s Day recipient. I hope that he enjoys every single bite in the knowledge of how much he is loved!

 

 

Herbed Pork Loin with Roasted Vegetables    (printable Herbed Pork Loin with Roasted Vegetables recipe )

Note: Begin meal preparation approximately 2 1/2 hours before you plan to eat. Adjust as needed based on cooking time for roast.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Roasted Vegetables:

• 3 lbs of potatoes
• 4-5 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 1 container of mushrooms (8 oz.)
• salt and pepper
• Italian seasonings
• minced garlic, fresh or canned
• olive oil

Chop potatoes into ½” cubes, and carrots about half that size. Leave the mushrooms in large pieces. Peel and quarter the onion, separate the layers. Place veggies in a large bowl, drizzle liberally with olive oil, add seasonings and garlic, and toss to coat. Spread in bottom of roasting pan, with most of the mushrooms down the center so they will be under the pork loin.

Roasted Loin:

• 4 lb pork loin
• 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 5-6 tsp minced garlic, fresh or canned
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Strip rosemary leaves from the stem and roughly chop. Add rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil to food processor; blend to make a paste. (Or, chop rosemary and garlic finely by hand, crush into a paste, and add salt, pepper and oil to make a paste.) Place the pork loin in the center of the pan, fat layer down, and spread herb paste over top and sides. Place in preheated oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes/pound, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160° F. Remove and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before serving.