This is the best pork loin recipe I have ever enjoyed and it will surely turn you in to a pork loin lover, too! Juicy pork combines with a white wine sauce, flavoured with fresh herbs and garlic, for a special and elegant pork dinner.
Why you’ll love this pork loin recipe!
- The herb and wine sauce is so good! (I could drink it!)
- The unique stove-top cooking method produces the most fabulously moist pork loin.
- This pork dinner is always a special meal. It’s perfect for date night, special dinners and for company.
What is a pork loin?
Pork Loin is a solid and lean cut of pork. It has an even thickness throughout its length. Pork Loin can be boneless or bone-in and will often have a bit of fat cap attached to it. This recipe specifies boneless, centre cut pork loin, which is the finest cut from the middle, so it cooks evenly and slices beautifully.
Pork Loin is different from pork tenderloin. It is cut from a different part and is a thinner, longer and uneven thickness, tapering out through the length. As it is a quick-cooking cut, it doesn’t make a great substitute for recipes like this one, as it will likely overcook.
Ingredients you’ll need
Boneless, Centre-Cut Pork Loin – the centre-cut is the best cut of pork loin, with lean pork that cooks and slices up perfectly. The timing of the recipe is for a 2 lb. pork loin, but if yours is a little less or more, you can simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.
White Wine – any wine you like to drink is fine here. Crack open a fresh bottle for this one (you can enjoy the remainder of the bottle with your dinner). If you are looking for recommendations, a Chardonnay is always a good choice. Sauvignon Blanc also works well.
Sage and Rosemary – fresh herbs are highly recommended, but in a pinch, you can use dried.
Cream – heavy, whipping cream is recommended, as it will produce the best flavour and texture in the sauce. If you only have a lighter cream, use the cornstarch slurry detailed in the Recipe card to thicken the gravy, as needed.
Chicken Broth, Garlic and Olive Oil
Step-by-Step Photos
- Start by browning both sides the pork loin in olive oil. Remove to a plate.
- Add the garlic and herbs to the pot and cook briefly before adding the wine.
- Return the pork to the pot.
- Reduce heat and partially cover the pot (don’t cover completely!).
- After 20 minutes, flip the meat and stir the bottom of the pot.
- Check the temperature with each flip, to gauge cooking progress.
- If pot gets dry at any point, add about 1/4 cup of water. Continue cooking, flipping and checking temperature, until pork loin reaches between 140-145F.
- When pork is done, remove to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.
- To the drippings in the pan, add a splash of wine to loosen.
- Add the chicken broth and stir up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cream and stir in. Simmer gently until reduced and thickened.
- Slice pork thinly. Place on a serving platter and pour sauce over-top.
What to serve with pork loin with wine herb gravy
- A creamy mashed potato (or garlic mashed) is nice with this gravy. Alternatively, buttered egg noodles or wild rice would also be nice. I’ve also thought about gnocchi, which I haven’t tried yet, but feel it would be nice together.
- On the side, broccolini is great (or broccoli) or green beans, would also be perfect.
Reader 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
Get the Recipe: 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 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 lb. boneless, centre-cut, pork loin roast, *see notes
- 1 1/4 cups dry white wine, plus a bit more to deglaze pan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar, heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high heat. *Be sure to use a pot big enough to allow the pork loin to sit flat on the bottom of the pot. Season the pork with a little salt and pepper. Add the pork to the pot, fat side down. *Make sure the oil is hot enough to brown the pork well, as this makes for the best flavour. It may splatter a bit, but worth it! Brown the pork for about 4-5 minutes on each side, then remove it to a plate. In the same pan, lower the heat to medium heat and add the garlic, rosemary and sage. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 45-60 seconds. *Don't allow to burn. 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.
- Lower the heat under the pan to low-medium heat. Return the pork to the pan and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Partially cover with a lid (Do not cover completely!) and cook for 20 minutes. Flip pork and stir the bottom of the pan. Make sure there is still some liquid in the pan. Return the lid partially covered and cook for 15 minutes, then flip again. Stir bottom and if getting dry, add 1/4 cup of water. Check the temperature of the pork. Return the lid to partially covered and check again in 5-10 minute intervals, flipping, stirring and adding a bit of water, if needed, until the pork registers 140-145F. internal temperature. *For a 2 lb. pork loin, the total cooking time is usually 55-60 minutes.
- When the pork is cooked to the recommended 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.
- 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 regularly, until it thickens a bit and is warmed through. Avoid vigorously boiling. A gentle simmer is fine. (*The sauce doesn't need to be super thick, just reduced somewhat. If you'd like the sauce thicker, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. water and add a little bit at a time to your sauce until it thickens to your liking.) Taste sauce and add salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. *If the sauce tastes acidic (wine-y), add more salt to balance the flavour.
- When the sauce is ready, slice the pork very thinly and place on to a rimmed or shallow serving platter. Pour the warm gravy over-top to serve.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I am trying it now with some sliced onions in the pan and a little Dijon on the pork…. It smells delicious! Served with roasted cauliflower with garlic and paprika to enjoy with the rest of the gravy.
Enjoy, Shannon! Sound like a great meal :)
This looks looks like the perfect winter Sunday dinner. I’m all about cracking open a good bottle of white for this recipe and then pouring the rest in glasses to enjoy alongside that tender pork and creamy sauce. Yum!
Thanks Cathy and it totally is! And the best part is that it’s very little work for a lot of reward :)
This was absolutely incredible!! My husband and I loved it and I cannot wait to entertain with this recipe!
So nice to hear, Ronita :)
Wow! This has to be one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. I mean lick your plate good. So easy and so wow! Thanks for this. Incredible.
So glad you enjoyed it Chantel :) Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Beautiful, simple recipe. Thank you! It was delicious and made the house smell incredible. Will definitely be making this again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Sarah!
Hi! If I have a 4 lb pork loin would I double all of the other ingredients as well?
Hi Cody. Yes I would double all so you will be sure to have enough sauce for all the meat. Obviously cooking time is probably longer as well.
Hi! When placing the loin in the dutch oven, must it lay in a single layer in the pan, or if making a large amount, can you layer one loin on top of another?
Hi Denise. They should lay flat, because of the way this is cooked. All the cooking action comes from the bottom, pretty much. If you’re cooking a lot, you could either cut the loins in half so they might lay flat, or do it in two batches.
Hi Jennifer! This recipe looks amazing and I am planning to make it for Christmas dinner for 5 people. Can this recipe be made a day ahead and re-heated? I can tell that it will be fabulous! Thanks much!
Sharon
Hi Sharon. Making ahead is not completely ideal, but I certainly understand your desire not to be cooking on Christmas Day :) So … if I were doing it, I’d simply undercook the meat slightly, so that when it is re-heated, it isn’t too dry/over-cooked. Keep the meat whole until just before re-heating, then slice and re-heat on serving platter. Other than that, it should be fine. Enjoy!
Hi Jennifer,
Made this tonight with 2, 1 lb pork tenderloins. I went with an hour and I totally dried it out :( Any suggestions for cooking time? The flavor was still GREAT though. I added 2 small shallots and a package of mushrooms which really added depth to the flavor.
I love your recipes! Keep posting more for me to try :)
Hi Audrey and thanks :) As for your pork tenderloin, an hour is undoubtedly way too long for pork tenderloin, especially small ones. The recipe is written for a pork loin roast, which is much shorter and thicker (3 or 4 inches thick). Pork tenderloin is long and thin. The cooking time was probably 25-30 minutes, at most. If you haven’t got one, I’d highly recommend investing in a meat thermometer. It has saved me more times with meat. When I’m unsure of cooking time, I just check the temperature to gauge cooking progress. For the pork tenderloin, you’d cook it to about 145-150° F. internal temperature
This looks really good. I am thinking of making this for Thanksgiving dinner in lieu of Turkey. I was wondering if you have ever tried to do this in a crockpot. It would be so awesome to let it be for 6-8 hours while I prepare everything else. Have you tried this? or have any other bloggers done it this way with success?
Do you think it would turn out as good? thanks
Hi Ame. I would not cook this in a crock pot. It is a completely different cooking method and will produce a completely different end result (think pot roast vs. roast beef) I can tell you though that this cooks relatively unattended, so still pretty hands off as written :)
Jennifer, this was absolutely delightful! It was a recipe that pushed me out of my ‘safe’ zone, but with great reward. The garlic, herbs, oil and pork cooking warmed the house and our taste buds to no end! The tenderloin was moist and flavorful with the gravy…thank you so much.
P.S. I also made your chicken pot pie soup last week, very good!
Thanks Jennifer and you picked a great one to try to push you out of your safe zone (great reward is always good :) Glad you enjoyed the soup, too!
This smelled phenomenal while cooking and tasted amazing! What a wonderful use of my fresh herbs for an autumnal treat on a chilly evening. This will be a keeper for sure, and with just two dining, I am so looking forward to lunch tomorrow. Will be looking for more of your culinary treasures Jennifer! Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan! I’m due to make this again soon, too :)
Jennifer,
I made this last night for our Surprise Dinner night with friends. We have to make something new and cannot improvise. Needless to say your Pork Loin with Wine and Herbs was a huge hit! Did not make any changes and it turned out perfectly. Thank you.
Joan
What a fun dinner party idea! So glad you enjoyed this dish :)
What an amazing recipe! I’ve been looking for that exact dutch oven, may I ask where you got it or what brand it is? Thanks so much!
Hi! The dish shown is just a serving dish. I used a Le Creuset Dutch oven for actually cooking it.
My mouth is watering. I’ve just pinned about 5 of your recipes and I can’t wait to try them all. The best part is that you don’t seem to unnecessarily add flour. You use cornstarch to thicken and I would just substitute with tapioca to be grain-free. When my daughter is home from school, I would also sub out the cream for coconut milk to make them dairy-free for her.
Your recipes are beautiful.
Thank you.
Teresa
Thanks so much, Teresa. Happy cooking :)