Saturday, December 31, 2011

Parmesan Pork Roast




Happy New Year! I'm not a fan of the pork & sauerkraut dish that is traditionally eaten on New Year's Day in my area. So I opted for this meal instead. I love this recipe because it's so flavorful, it's VERY easy (made in the crockpot), and it looks beautiful. It's perfect to serve when you have guests. This recipe comes from an old Simple & Delicious (Taste of Home) magazine - March/April, 2010.

My only caveat about this recipe is that it can be easy to overcook pork in the slow-cooker. I've overcooked this roast more times than I care to admit. You get busy with making your side dishes or dessert, and you forget to check on it.  I highly suggest inserting a digital meat thermometer into the roast right from the start and watching it closely after a few hours of cooking. When it gets to 160 degrees, it's done. The upside to this recipe is that if you do accidently overcook it, you have lots of wonderful sauce to pour over it. It won't be perfect, but it will still be delicious, and probably no one will complain. : )

Here's what you need:



  • 1 lovely, boneless whole pork loin roast as pictured above (approximately 4 lbs.)
  • 2/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 Cup honey
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons dried basil
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 Cup cold water
Cut the roast in half or in thirds so it fits into your slow-cooker. Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray and transfer the roast pieces to it.  In a small bowl, combine the cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, garlic, and olive oil.......



Pour this deliciousness over the pork, cover, and cook on low for approximately 5-1/2 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove meat to a serving platter, cover with foil, let it rest and keep warm.



Meanwhile, strain the lumps from the cooking liquid and transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Gradually add the wet cornstarch to the saucepan. Bring to a boil again; cook and stir for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the roast, and serve with the sauce. It's perfect served with mashed potatoes and your favorite veggie.







2 comments:

  1. My meat is always terrible after cooking in my slow cooker. I blamed the cooker but I think I may be over cooking it. I have never thought about that before. This looks delicious. I love pork and sauerkraut together.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've over-cooked just about every kind of meat possible in the slow-cooker... until I finally got a good instant-read meat thermometer. Now I have no one to blame but myself when it overcooks : )

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments and look forward to every one of them!