Absolutely the best pork loin recipe I’ve ever made! This Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy is cooked with wine, garlic and herbs, then sliced thin with a beautiful gravy. This pork is easy enough for any night, but also a company worthy dinner dish!
Let’s face it. We all need a break from chicken once in a while. So I think pork. It’s the other white meat. But pork, true … is sometimes a little boring. Well not any more! If you’re not one already, this dish will turn you into a pork lover. I guarantee it. It’s the best pork loin recipe!
But first, a little pork cut refresher …
What is the difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin?
Most people are familiar with pork tenderloin. It’s the small, long, thin and boneless cut of pork that’s popular for it’s quick cooking and a lovely tender meat. Pork tenderloins come from the side of the animal.
A pork loin is different from a pork tenderloin. While it shares the “loin” name, it is a completely different cut and comes from a different part of the animal – the back. Pork loins are larger and thicker. Pork loins are roasts, intended to be be cooked low and slow. Because the loin (back) area is large, there are several different loin cuts that you will find at the grocery or butcher, depending if the roast is cut from the end or the center.
Probably the easiest way to understand the difference is to think of pork the same way you think of beef. Pork tenderloin is equivalent to beef tenderloin – small, tender and meant to be cooked hot and fast. Pork loin roasts are like beef roasts. There are a number of types of roasts, depending on where the cut is from and which one you use will depend on what you are making.
This dish is best suited for a Pork Loin roast.
Can I make this with a pork tenderloin?
Pork tenderloin will cook much more quickly (probably in about 30 minutes) and to be honest, you will kind of not get the full flavour experience with that short a cooking time, If you prefer to make this with a pork tenderloin, get the biggest pork tenderloin you can find.
I made this with a small, center cut pork loin roast. Look for a pork loin roast that is labeled “center cut”. It is lovely solid, tender meat, with little to no fat in the meat itself. Think of it as the equivalent to a sirloin beef roast. It’s a nice cut when you want a solid, tender slice of pork. Look for one with a little bit of a fat cap (1/2-inch or so) is nice, if you can find that, as it will keep the meat moist and add great flavour to the gravy.
There’s also fresh herbs and while I’m usually flexible with swapping out dried herbs for fresh, this is one recipe where you really want to use fresh. When you smell it cooking, you’ll understand why. Heavenly! And there’s no way that dried herbs can compete with that. It’s worth it just for the smell while it’s cooking, but the way they flavour the meat and the finished gravy is one of the nicest parts of this recipe.
Featured Review: I absolutely agree with your very first comment on this recipe ….this truly is the best pork loin recipe I have ever made. I am cooking it for the second time tonight for dinner. I have an overwhelming desire to make tons of extra sauce and put it on everything. Thanks so much! Alex
Cook’s Notes for Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy
I know some people don’t have, drink or cook with wine. If that describes you, this may not be the recipe for you. It has a lot of wine in it and it’s so critical to the flavour, I honestly can’t think of a suitable substitute. This one is all about the wine and fresh herbs.
As for the wine, use a decent one (maybe not the part-bottle that’s been at the back of the fridge for a few weeks and yes, I’ve been guilty of doing that ;) Crack open a fresh bottle, one you love to drink. My son, after tasting this dish, thought a California chardonnay would be a perfect choice. Since he’s the budding sommelier in the family, I’d take that as a solid recommendation, if you don’t already have a favourite white wine you’d like to use.
So now that I’ve said all that, I guess it’s obvious that this isn’t a quick, weeknight meal. That said, it’s not a huge time investment either. It does require peeking at it a few times as it cooks on the stove-top, but other than that, it’s an easy one-pot meal. It’s perfect for a weekend dinner or entertaining.
As for what to serve with it, creamy mashed potatoes would be nice or buttered noodles. I’m tempted to try it with gnocchi too, for some reason. Or forgo the carbs and just enjoy it with a nice green veg.
Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
- 2 lb center cut, boneless pork loin roast *see notes
- 1 1/4 cups dry white wine (plus a bit more to deglaze pan)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or a lighter cream mixed with 2 tsp. cornstarch)
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar, heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high heat. Saute the pork for about 5 minutes on each side, then remove it to a plate. In the same pan over medium heat, saute the garlic, rosemary and sage, stirring, for about one minute. Add the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine until the smell of the alcohol has disappeared, about 1 to 2 minutes.
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Lower the heat under the pan to low-medium heat. Return the pork to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Partially cover with a lid and cook for about 1 1/2 hours (considerably less if you're using pork tenderloins instead. Rely on a thermometer to check for doneness), flipping the pork and scraping the bottom of the pan every 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it, making sure there continues to be some liquid in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of warm water if necessary.
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When the pork is cooked through (ideally, you want to test with a thermometer, it should be about 140°F internal temperature.) Remove pork to a cutting board to rest and cover with loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to help retain the heat while it rests.
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Meanwhile, increase the heat under the liquid in the pan to medium. If your pan has little liquid, deglaze with a splash of white wine. Stir well to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until the alcohol smell disappears (about 1-2 minutes). Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat a few minutes, to allow the chicken stock to heat through a bit. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cream. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring the sauce constantly, until it thickens a bit and is warmed through. Avoid vigorously boiling. A gentle simmer is fine. (*If your sauce doesn't thicken up, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. water and add a bit at a time to your sauce until it thickens to your liking.) Taste sauce and add salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
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When the sauce is ready, slice the pork very thinly and place on to a serving platter. Pour the warm gravy over-top to serve.
Recipe Notes
Note that this recipe is best made with a pork loin roast, not a pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloins are considerably thinner and cook much more quickly. As such, you won't get the benefit of the low and slow cooking or the flavours that comes from cooking a larger roast.
Be sure to read the "Cook's Notes" in the original post, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
Can it be made with a one pound pork loin? How would you modify cooking time?
hi Tifanny, is it just a small pork loin or is it a pork tenderloin?
Just made this for 30 ppl for a funeral dinner at church. Used 3 pork loins that were 4-ish lbs ea. Incredible flavor! Sliced with electric knife after resting and poured gravy over. Served with mashed potatoes, honey roasted rainbow carrots and sauteed green beans with mushrooms and garlic. Wonderful meal that i will continue to make. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a wonderful meal, Jill. So glad it was enjoyed :) Thanks!
This looks delicious. I’m going to try this recipe with pork tenderloins. I don’t see anywhere that says how long to cook. What is a rough idea of the cooking time?
Hi Suzanne, I didn’t specify a time for tenderloins since it can vary so wildly, depending on size and how long they were seared etc. That said, I feel like it is probably much less time, somewhere around 30 minutes or even less. A thermometer is best to check. Basically, cook until 140F., however long that takes. All that said, this one is really best suited for larger, thicker pork loin roasts. That’s the cut I always use.
We really enjoyed this dish. I added some mushrooms with the herbs before searing the loin. Turned out great! Might try adding peppercorns to the gravy next time. Awesome recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Matt! Thanks :)
Hi – I’m planning to make this recipe, but I only have pork chops. How should I adjust it accordingly? Thanks!
Hi Sarah, this recipe isn’t really intended for a thin cut like a pork chop, the reason being that the chop is almost cooked by the time you finish the searing, so you don’t get the benefits of cooking the meat with the wine etc. That said, if you want to try it, the cooking time after the searing is pretty much 10 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of your chops. You would also need to use less wine, since there is little cooking time for it to evaporate.
I had some problems with this recipe, although it produced a nicely cooked pork loin.
My sauce was very tart, even though I used a wine I drink regularly (and we finished the rest of it that night, so it wasn’t off.)
In the initial step, half of my garlic cloves burned before the pork loin was browned (even on the first side, and even though I had the loin at room temp for 45 minutes before starting it to brown). I took those out, fearing they’d make the ending sauce bitter. Is that normal?
It took more like 10 minutes per side to brown the loin so that it would release from the pan, instead of five.
I like this recipe and will make it again, but don’t know what to do about the sour-tasting sauce. Any tips?
Hi Erin, A couple of things to try … First, re the garlic, try adding it after you have seared the first side of the pork. It will spend less time on the heat and less likely to scorch. As for the “sour” taste, that is undoubtedly the wine. And not that there was anything wrong with your wine, it’s just that the sauce is practically all wine and quite reduced wine, at that, and well, the result is somewhat sour. I don’t mind that taste, but some find it a little too much. I think we’re not necessary used to that much wine in a sauce at first :) It may grown on you or if you’d like, you can simply reduce the amount of wine in the recipe and replace it with the same amount of chicken broth. (You could also try another variety of white wine, just to see if it makes a difference for you.) Hope that helps :)
Wow, amazing recipe! Will be making this again. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Nikki! Thanks :)
Do you think this is mostly low carb? I’ve made this and it’s amazing, but not since I’ve been trying to eat less carbs :-)
Hi Ryan, I’m not really well versed in low carb, but I think the only carb here is the wine. So you’ll want to factor that in, since there is quite a bit of it in this dish.
I made this a few weeks ago for company and it was amazing! The only thing I changed was using ginger ale instead of wine.
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks :)
This was delicious, especially with the gravy/sauce. I would do the pork tenderloin in the oven next time.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks :)
Do you think it would be possible to do a modified version in a Crock Pot or Instant Pot?
Hi Rei and I did try it as an Instant Pot version. It was a pale version of the original. Not near the depth of flavour of the original. Just can’t duplicate the flavour of browning in an instant pot sadly.
I made this for the first time today and it was a hit. I accidentally brownded a little more than intended but it turnout to be more flavourful!!
So glad you enjoyed it and yes, good browning does make for lots of flavour :) Thanks!
Hi,
I will be having week-end guests and would love to serve them this dish.Is there any possibility that I could prepare at least part of the recipe a day or two ahead and then just reheat it for supper? Any suggestions from you would be much appreciated. Thank you
Hi Irene, this one has to be cooked all in one go, but that said, you can make it ahead by slightly undercooking the meat. Then allow meat to cool. Wrap and refrigerate. Make the sauce from the drippings and store separately. Rewarm meat in foil in moderate oven. Rewarm sauce. Slice meat and serve with sauce. I think you could do that 24 hours ahead. Hope that helps. Enjoy :)
OMG I just made this for dinner! I used a pork loin and cut down to chops and it was amazing! The sauce was so good!!
So glad to hear, Jennifer! Thanks :)
Can you do it in the oven? If so what temperature and for how long? Can do sauce while pork rests.
Hi Jeanne, I have never done it in the oven, but you would need to replicate the stove-top conditions in the oven (partially covered, low simmer of the wine). Whatever temperature achieves that. That said, it really is quite hands-off on the stove-top. Simply let it simmer partially covered and flip it a few times. I really recommend that method if you can.
I made this with a few tweaks. Used lite coconut milk for DF, dry herbs, slightly less wine and bump up broth.
Wow, though. So good! This was my first try from S&S and I’ll be back.
So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth! Thanks :)
Thank you!!
i made it today.very yummy and easy
Made this for the first time today and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks :)