Honey Garlic Pork Loin

Honey Garlic Pork Loin is my gift to your kitchen. This spectacular pork is perfectly seasoned, wonderfully moist, and coated in a finger licking honey garlic glaze. If you’ve ever found your pork tasting a little lack lustre, this recipe is your new go to.

Gone are the days of dry, bland pork! Does anyone think pork gets a bit of a bad rap? I think it’s because people aren’t cooking it with its needs in mind, or highlighting the simple, savory flavors of this wondrous meat.

What do I mean when I say that pork’s needs aren’t being met? Well for many years now many kitchens across this continent have been over cooking it! The standard for fully cooked and safe pork is now 145F. This is wonderful because at the old standard of 170F, pork ended up being incredibly dry and chewy.

Now it’s time to get into the main event, the star of the show, the one the only – the honey garlic pork loin. I love pork loin as it’s a cut that roasts down really well in the oven and doesn’t require too much fuss. We’re working with some great basic protein techniques today, dry rub and a glaze, these two tools can transform any protein from meh to more, please!

Ingredients

Pork

• Pork – I used pork loin today, we want something that roasts well in the oven.
• Butter – Unsalted as we want to control the sodium content of our dish. This is what we’re going to brown our pork in.

Rub

• Spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.

Glaze

• Honey – Well it’s in the name isn’t it! We want a nice, thick, sweet addition to ensure our glaze cooks down well and offers some sweetness. You can substitute this for maple syrup if you’d prefer.
• Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
• Soy sauce – To add some umami flavor to this sauce.
• Sugar – We’re using some brown sugar to add dimension and molasses notes to our glaze. This will help round out the sweetness in our glaze and give us some depth of color.
• Pineapple juice – A tangy addition! Yes believe me pineapple and pork were made for each other – it’s why it ended up on pizza! Even if you’re not a fan, I definitely encourage you include this ingredient. It lends some needed liquid and brightness.
• Slurry – Cornstarch and warm water, this will ensure we get the thick texture we want.

How To Make Honey Garlic Pork Loin

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
2. Create the rub: In a small bowl whisk together all the rub ingredients together. Sprinkle the rub over the entire surface of the pork pressing firmly to get everything covered.
3. Brown the pork: In a large skillet, melt the butter. Place the pork loin in the skillet and sear the pork over high heat on all sides until nicely browned.
4. Cook the pork: Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 70 to 80 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork is at least 145F to 155F.
5. Create the glaze: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice to the saucepan, whisk well and bring to a slight boil.
6. Thick the glaze: Whisk the cornstarch with the water and add the slurry to the saucepan. Whisk until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Finish the dish: When the pork has reached the desired temperature remove the skillet carefully from the oven and baste with the honey garlic sauce. Place the skillet back in the oven and broil it on high for 3 additional minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes. Remove the loin from the oven and allow to rest for 10 – 15 minutes before slicing.

Bone In Or Boneless Pork?

You can use bone in or boneless pork loin, whichever you prefer is completely up to you. If you use bone in and a meat thermometer just be sure the thermometer isn’t touching the bone.

How Else Can I Make Honey Garlic Pork Loin

Slow cooker

You can definitely make this dish in the slow cooker, just follow these steps:

• Create the rub as described above and rub over the loin. Sear the pork loin on all sides in olive oil. Layer sliced onion on the bottom of the slow cooker to prevent the pork loin from burning.
• Place the pork loin in your slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 – 6 hours. Create your glaze according to recipe instructions and broil the loin as described in step 7 as well.

Pressure cooker/Instant Pot

• Create the rub as described above and rub over the loin. Sear the pork loin on all sides in olive oil on the saute setting once it has heated up according to manufacture directions.
• Remove the pork loin from the pressure cooker and pour in a half cup of broth. Place the trivet in the cooker and place the loin on top. Seal the lid securely and select the meat/stew setting and allow it to cook for 17 minutes.
• Allow the pressure to release and remove the lid before removing the pork loin and allowing to rest. Create your glaze according to recipe instructions and broil the loin as described in step 7 as well.

Some Tips

1. Get a meat thermometer! We want to guarantee our loin reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 F degrees and the best way to do this is through accuracy.
2. Baking at a high temperature will give you nicely browned pork with delicious crispy bits while keeping the inside perfectly juicy.
3. Be sure to let it rest! Otherwise your meat will end up dry and no one wants that. If you’d like even more help while it rests feels free to cover the dish in aluminum foil before slicing up and serving.

What To Pair With Honey Garlic Pork Loin

This entree pairs greatly with a lot of delicious side dishes, here are some suggestions:

• Creamy Polenta
• Italian Roasted Mushrooms And Veggies
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Mashed Potatoes
• Old Fashion Green Beans

How Can I Re Purpose Leftover Pork Loin?

There’s lots you can do with your leftover Honey Garlic Pork Loin! You can incorporate it into so many dishes, let’s get into some of these transformations!

• Mexican Pork Stew
• Substitute it for the chicken in this Enchilada Rice Casserole
• Cuban Panini
• You can substitute it for the chicken in this Pad See Ew recipe
• Add it to this Chow Mein for a savory addition

Leftovers

Fridge

To keep this pork loin fresh in the fridge, store it in a shallow airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and it will keep for 3 – 4 days.

Freezer

If you’d like to make this pork loin ahead, you can store it in an airtight container or in freezer bags with the air pressed out for 4 – 6 months. Allow the roast to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven at 350 F degrees till the pork is heated through.

Craving More Pork? Try These Delicious Recipes:

• Rosemary Garlic Pork Roast
• Perfect Pulled Pork
• Korean Style Pork Chops
• Perfect Pork Tenderloin
• Pork Schnitzel
• Ranch Pork Chops And Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
• Pork Carnitas
• Cranberry Pork Roast
• Pork Loin Roast