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
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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!
Hi! I’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving lunch this year. But I’m having more than 8 people over, its gonna be between 12-14 people. Do you think I could cook 2 pork loins in one Dutch oven and just extend the time a little??
Hi Alison and yes, if you have a big enough dutch oven (that will allow a little space between the two roasts), just do the two at once and double the sauce. I’m feeling like the timing should be about the same, but test with a thermometer to be sure. Enjoy!
I was undecided between using the loin or tenderloin. I went with the loin and so happy that I did. It was by far the best pork recipe ever!! The loin was so tender you were able to cut with a fork and the gravy was sooo tasty! Thanks for this wonderfully scrumptious meal!!
I’m happy you did too, as it’s my favourite way to enjoy this dish! So glad you enjoyed it too :) Thanks!
Definitely a 5 star recipe. The pork was good but the sauce is the winner here, I paired this with a brown rice pilaf and some green beans. Definitely make again, use fresh sage and rosemary if possible. Would go great with a potato mash as well.
Thanks Don and yes, this one is all about the sauce :) So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this dish several times now in the last couple of years since I saw this pin. It’s one of my favorites, and really quite easy tand make. I serve it over mashed red or Yukon potatoes. It’s incredibly DElish! Thank you:)
So glad you are enjoying it, Monica :) It is one of my favourite meals and I always serve it with potatoes, too!
This is the BEST way to eat pork tenderloin. I made it last night and we didn’t have any leftovers. Recipe was easy to follow. Can’t wait to try more recipes off your website.
Glad to hear, Lindsey! Thanks :)
Really, really good. Tender moist pork loin with a lot of excellent flavour. Five star recipe!
Thanks so much, Kevin! So glad you enjoyed it :)
Loved it
So glad to hear! Thanks :)
Truly wonderful, fabulous, etc, etc, etc. great flavor. I did thicken the sauce to use as gravy on potatoes.
Thanks Tamar! So glad you you enjoyed it :)
I plan on making this next week for a dinner party. The guest of honor is a big fan of mushrooms. Do you think Chantelles or Criminis would work in this recipe?
Hi Jennifer, I think mushrooms would work well with these flavours. I would definitely cook them separately though and add to the gravy at the end. Enjoy!
Is there another way of cooking the loin than a dutch oven? Can it be baked or made in a ceramic skillet?
Hi Renae, the unique method of cooking here doesn’t translate well. It cooks semi-covered, so roasting would be a different, drier heat and the herbs/moisture would probably brown or burn on the bottom of the pan, as it would evaporate too quickly. You could try a skillet on the stovetop, but you would need to “tent” it somehow, perhaps with foil. You want the moisture to stay around the roast, but not completely. Hope that helps.
Any tips if I’d like to use left over pork loin slices for this meal? Will it work? I obviously wouldn’t have to let them cook as long since they’re already done, but how long would they cook? Or maybe this isn’t the best recipe for reviving left overs…
Hi Beth, It’s maybe not the best recipe for left-over pork, but if you wanted to give it a go, I would just try to replicate the gravy (without the pork loin) and then add your left-over pork right at the end to warm and lend a little flavour to the gravy. So just start by cooking the garlic in olive oil, add herbs, wine, stock. Simmer/reduce. Add cream. Then add your pork slices to warm. Suspect it might work out ok :)
Thanks! I tried and and it was ok, but not the best. I was trying to spice up leftovers a bit so it was good for doing that, but it would be much better as your original recipe. :)
Yes, it’s hard to replace the depth of flavours from the long cooking of the original.
I LOVE this recipe, we have had it numerous times now, and can’t wait to host our friends with this on the menu!
So glad to hear, Charlie. It is one of my favourites and perfect for entertaining. Everyone always enjoys it :) Thanks!
I am cooking this right now. I think it is perfect alone without any sides, but what is your opinion on doing baked sweet potatoes as a side dish to go along with it. My fiance is a fan of side dishes so I had to come up with some.
Hi Jennifer, I love baked sweet potatoes and I think the flavours would be nice together. I tend to usually go with rice or mashed potatoes, myself, to make best use of the gravy :)
I made this recipe several weeks ago and it was amazing. I thawed out a frozen pork loin to make it again, but realized I wouldn’t have time to do it.
I put it in the crock pot on low for 6 hours and it turned out amazing as well. I seared the pork and laid it on a bed of thyme and rosemary (the hubs bought the wrong herb) and garlic. Dumped some white wine in there and let it go to town.
The taste was delicious, and the pork just fell apart. So great!!!
So glad and good to know that it works out nicely in a crock pot, too! Thanks :)
Would it also be a good idea to marinade the pork loin?
Hi Monika, I don’t think marinating is necessary. Pork loin is lovely and moist (as long as it’s not over-cooked :). And the sauce has lots of flavour, that cooks into the meat as well.