Sous Vide Pork Loin: Achieve Unbelievably Tender & Juicy Perfection Every Time
Unlock the secret to a super flavorful, tender, juicy, and utterly delicious pork loin roast that comes out perfectly cooked every single time with the magic of sous vide!
It’s no secret that pork is a beloved staple in many households, including mine. Our blog is filled with a myriad of pork recipes, showcasing its incredible versatility and why it’s our go-to protein for countless delicious meals. From quick weeknight dinners to impressive roasts, pork always delivers.
Among our family’s long-standing favorites is this Rosemary Garlic Pork Loin Roast. What makes it stand out is not just its classic herb and garlic seasoning (which you can easily adapt to your taste), but the revolutionary cooking method that ensures a flawless result. If you’ve ever struggled with dry or unevenly cooked pork, this sous vide technique will completely change how you approach this cut of meat forever!
What is Sous Vide Cooking and Why It’s Perfect for Pork Loin
I first discovered sous vide cooking a few years ago, and it quickly transformed the way I prepare proteins. What started with perfectly cooked steaks soon extended to other meats and even side dishes, like our incredibly creamy Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes – truly the best we’ve ever had!
Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, involves cooking food sealed in a vacuum-sealed bag in a precisely controlled water bath. This method ensures that your food, especially meats like pork loin, cooks to an exact internal temperature from edge to edge, without ever overcooking. This means you can achieve an absolute perfect medium-rare, medium, or medium-well consistency every single time, whether you’re making a steak, lamb chops, or a hearty pork loin roast. Once you experience the consistent tenderness and juiciness, you’ll understand why it’s a game-changer for home cooks.
How To Make Sous Vide Pork Loin: A Step-by-Step Guide
Cooking pork loin using the sous vide method is surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding. Here’s how you can achieve that perfect tenderness and flavor:
- Preheat the Water Bath: Set your sous vide immersion circulator to 140ºF (60ºC). Allow it ample time to reach and stabilize this temperature.
- Season the Pork Loin: In a small bowl, mix together your chosen seasonings – for this recipe, it’s minced garlic, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper, along with a drizzle of olive oil. Generously rub this mixture all over the entire pork loin roast, ensuring every inch is coated for maximum flavor penetration.
- Prepare for the Water Bath: Carefully place the seasoned pork loin into a plastic bag suitable for sous vide. If you have a vacuum sealer, seal the bag according to its instructions, removing as much air as possible. If you’re using a zip-top bag, seal it almost all the way, leaving a small opening. Slowly submerge the bag into the water bath, allowing the water pressure to push out the remaining air, then seal the rest of the bag completely. This ensures good thermal contact between the water and the meat.
- Sous Vide Cook: Once the water bath is at the target temperature and the pork is sealed, carefully place the bag into the water, ensuring it is fully submerged. You can use clips or weights if necessary to keep it under the water.
- Cook to Perfection: Let the pork loin cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes. The beauty of sous vide is its flexibility; you can safely leave it in the water bath for up to 5 hours without any negative impact on texture or doneness.
- Pat Dry: Once cooked, remove the pork from the bag and thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. This step is crucial for achieving a beautiful sear.
- Sear for Flavor and Texture: Heat a large skillet over high heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable or avocado oil. The oil should be shimmering and almost smoking, indicating it’s hot enough.
- Quick Sear: Carefully place the pork loin roast into the hot pan. Sear each side for about 30-45 seconds, just until a deep golden-brown crust forms. This quick sear adds incredible flavor and texture without overcooking the interior.
- Slice and Serve: Remove the pork from the pan, let it rest for a few minutes (though less crucial than with traditional methods, it still helps), then slice against the grain and serve immediately.
Sous Vide Pork Loin Temperature: Achieving Perfect Doneness
When cooking pork with sous vide, the rules for safe internal temperature differ from traditional methods. While conventional cooking often requires pork to reach 145ºF (63ºC) for 1 second to eliminate bacteria, sous vide cooking relies on holding the meat at a precise temperature for an extended period. This prolonged exposure at a lower temperature effectively pasteurizes the meat, killing bacteria and making it perfectly safe to eat, even if it appears slightly pink.
I personally prefer to **set my sous vide for 140ºF (60ºC)**. This temperature consistently yields an incredibly juicy, tender, and slightly pink cut of pork that is both safe and delicious. While many sous vide recipes suggest 137ºF (58.3ºC) for an even pinker result, 140ºF offers a fantastic balance of tenderness and a more universally appealing color. Rest assured, due to the extended cooking time, both temperatures result in perfectly safe pork.
How Long to Sous Vide Pork Loin for Optimal Results
One of the greatest advantages of sous vide cooking is its forgiving nature when it comes to timing. For a pork loin, you have a generous window, typically ranging from **2 1/2 hours to 5 hours**. This means that at 2 1/2 hours, your pork loin will be perfectly cooked, tender, and safe to eat. However, if your dinner plans shift or you just need more flexibility, you can confidently leave it in the water bath for up to 5 hours without compromising its quality. The precise temperature control prevents overcooking, unlike traditional methods.
However, it’s important to note that leaving the pork in the water bath for much longer than 5 hours (e.g., 8-10+ hours) can start to affect the texture. While still safe, the meat fibers may begin to break down excessively, leading to a softer, sometimes mushy texture that isn’t ideal for a loin roast. So, stick within the 2.5 to 5-hour range for the best results.
Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin: Understanding the Difference
It’s a common misconception that pork loin and pork tenderloin are interchangeable. The short answer is no, they are distinctly different cuts of meat, each with unique characteristics. If you happen to have a pork tenderloin, you can still use the sous vide method, but you’ll want to refer to a specific Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin recipe, as the cooking times will be shorter due to its thinner profile.
To elaborate:
- Pork Tenderloin: This is a long, narrow, and lean cut of meat that comes from along the pig’s backbone. It is known for being exceptionally tender and has a mild, delicate pork flavor. Because it’s so lean and thin, it cooks quickly and can dry out easily if not prepared correctly.
- Pork Loin: In contrast, a pork loin (sometimes called a center-cut pork roast) is a much wider, thicker, and flatter cut of meat. It can often be found bone-in or boneless. Pork loin is also tender but typically has a more substantial texture and a slightly richer flavor compared to the tenderloin. Its larger size makes it an excellent choice for roasting and feeding a crowd.
Understanding these differences is key to selecting the right cut for your recipe and ensuring optimal cooking results.
Can You Sous Vide Frozen Pork Loin?
Absolutely! One of the fantastic conveniences of sous vide cooking is its compatibility with frozen meats. You can place a frozen pork loin directly into the water bath without needing to thaw it first. The only adjustment you need to make is to **add an extra 60 minutes to your total cook time**. Follow the exact same seasoning and preparation process as you would for a thawed pork loin; simply extend the time in the water bath to ensure it cooks through perfectly.
Essential Sous Vide Tips for Pork Loin Perfection
To elevate your sous vide pork loin from good to truly exceptional, consider these crucial tips:
- Don’t Skip the Sear: Searing the pork loin after its sous vide bath is non-negotiable. This quick step develops a delicious, savory crust (Maillard reaction) that adds depth of flavor and texture that the water bath alone cannot provide.
- Pat Dry Thoroughly: Before searing, it is absolutely essential to pat the pork loin very dry with paper towels. Any moisture on the surface will steam the meat rather than sear it, preventing that coveted golden-brown crust.
- Achieve High Heat for Searing: Ensure your skillet and oil are screaming hot before adding the pork. The oil should be shimmering, just about to smoke. Since your pork is already perfectly cooked internally, a super-hot pan allows you to achieve a crust quickly without overcooking the inside. Aim for 30-45 seconds per side.
- Season Generously and Creatively: While rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper are a classic combination, don’t be afraid to experiment! Pork loin is incredibly versatile. Consider rubs with paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, or even a touch of brown sugar for a sweet and savory profile. Just ensure you season generously; the bag helps infuse these flavors deeply into the meat.
- Cover Your Water Bath: If your sous vide setup doesn’t have a lid, use a cookie sheet, aluminum foil, or a pot lid to cover the water bath. This helps to significantly reduce water evaporation during the long cooking process, preventing the water level from dropping below the minimum line and ensuring consistent temperature. It also conserves heat, making your circulator more efficient.
- Ensure Proper Air Removal: Whether vacuum sealing or using the water displacement method with a zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible is vital. Air pockets can lead to uneven cooking and can cause the bag to float, meaning parts of the meat aren’t properly submerged.
What to Serve with Sous Vide Pork Loin
A beautifully cooked sous vide pork loin deserves equally delicious accompaniments. Here are some ideas to complete your meal:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Our Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes are an ideal pairing, offering a velvety texture that complements the tender pork.
- Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus, green beans, carrots, or Brussels sprouts roasted with a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper add a fantastic earthy balance.
- Apple Sauce or Chutney: The classic pairing of pork with apple sauce or a savory apple chutney provides a wonderful sweet and tart contrast.
- Gravy: Pan drippings from the searing process can be deglazed and turned into a simple, flavorful gravy.
- Crusty Bread: Perfect for soaking up any delicious juices.
More Delicious Pork Dinner Recipes
If you’re as big a fan of pork as we are, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic pork dinner recipes:
- Slow Cooker Pork Roast
- Smothered Pork Chops
- Baked Pork Chops
- Gyoza (Japanese Style Pork Dumplings)
- Pork Lo Mein
- Pork Adobo
Sous Vide Pork Loin Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pork loin roast, 3-4 pounds
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil
Instructions
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Preheat the water bath using your sous vide to 140ºF (60ºC).
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Mix together the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Generously rub this mixture all over the pork loin.
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Place the seasoned pork inside your plastic bag. If using a vacuum sealer, seal the bag to remove all air. If using a zip-top bag, seal almost all the way, then slowly add the bag to the water bath until just below the top is submerged, allowing water pressure to push out air. Seal the rest of the bag to ensure most air is out.
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Once the water is up to temperature, place the sealed bag of pork in the water, making sure it is fully submerged.
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Cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes. You can leave it cooking for up to 5 hours and it will still be perfect.
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Remove pork from the bag and use paper towels to pat it very dry on all sides.
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Heat 1 Tablespoon of vegetable or avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering and almost smoking, it’s hot enough.
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Carefully place the pork loin roast in the pan and sear for about 30-45 seconds per side, until it is nicely browned and a crust has formed.
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Remove from the pan, slice against the grain, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 393kcal |
Carbohydrates: 1g |
Protein: 45g |
Fat: 22g |
Saturated Fat: 6g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g |
Cholesterol: 136mg |
Sodium: 661mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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