Behold our juicy loin!
Growing our own herbs has inspired us to seek out flavors that we normally wouldn’t work with. Enter lavender leaves, imparting a delicate floral note that complements our fresh-picked rosemary like mustaches do hipsters. Lean pork makes the perfect protein to bring everything together and pairs well with roasted veggies and/or mashed potatoes. Cook up a loin tonight and smile smugly knowing you’ve got sustainable flavor.
Equipment Needed: Roasting Pan (w/ rack if possible), Cutting Board, Chef’s Knife, Gallon Freezer Bag (or) Plastic Container (for marinating the pork loin), Meat Thermometer
Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating
Servings: 4
Suggested Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Chardonnay
Suggested Beer Pairing: Pilsners, Fruit Beers, Hefeweizen
Ingredients:
- 2 lb pork loin ($5.99/lb)
- 4 TBSP fresh lavender (not sure, we grew our own but the plant was $3)
- 2 TBSP fresh rosemary (around $4 for a fresh bunch)
- 4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/34 oz)
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar ($2.79/32 oz)
- 2 TBSP honey ($4/12 oz)
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation:
- Trim and wash the pork loin then place it in the plastic bag or container.
- Chop the herbs and sprinkle over the meat.
Chop the herbs into the smallest pieces you can to release their oils, ergo their flavors
- Add the vinegar and oil, salt and pepper (about a TBSP each), seal the bag and squish things around so the meat is evenly coated. Toss it in the fridge overnight like a mafia informant.
Be careful not to overseason, you don't want to dry the meat.
- When you’re ready to cook the next day preheat your oven to 400° F. Take the meat out of the fridge and let it sit for 20 minutes to bring it up to temperature. Place in the roasting pan and cook fat-side down for 20 minutes. Flip it over so the fat’s on the top and put it back for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, coat with honey and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing to serve.
Coat in honey for a sweet finish.
