THM-S, Low Carb
I discovered this recipe for Roast Pork with Oregano and Wine Cretan Style maybe 30 years ago. I adapted it from a paperback cookbook after cooking it once and deciding it was definitely a keeper. Unfortunately, I promptly lost it and it only recently resurfaced as I was sorting through old recipes. So now we are enjoying it again and for the sake of WordPress and google, who seem to have a huge interest in such things, I have renamed it; Greek Style Roasted Pork Loin.
Although I originally used this for the lowly pork roast I have recently discovered the pork tenderloin and was able to catch an incredible sale on a couple. I brought my trophies home and froze them right away until the weather turned cool and I didn’t mind turning my oven on for a few hours to roast this wonderful piece of meat to perfection.
The incredible smell of this meat roasting is just worth the making of the whole recipe and then there’s the taste! You might be tempted to overcook a Greek Style Roasted Pork Loin because…it’s pork… but although you DO want this well done you do not want to dry it out.
A pork loin can be very lean and if so will tend to dry out if overcooked. The pictured pork roast loin was 4.15 pounds and the original recipe called for a 5-pound pork roast. I have found that in my electric oven the cooking time a total 2 1/2 hours at 350 degrees for this size piece of meat works out perfectly for a tender and succulent roast.
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Fresh herbs are the best so if you haven’t used yours in a while check for freshness and if necessary buy more, you won’t regret it when you taste that flavor.
Oregano is a very important herb in this dish, so use a great brand if you can.
Serving suggestions for this dish would include a nice green salad with maybe a Thousand Island Dressing and asparagus steamed lightly and sautéed in a little butter or ghee with lemon added.
Greek Style Roasted Pork Loin
Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- 4-5 pound pork loin or lean pork roast
- 2-3 cloves garlic, slivered (I use 3)
- 2 teaspoons high mineral salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup dry red cooking wine (available in all grocery stores or regular wine if you have it)
- *1/2 cup tomato juice
- 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- You will need a standard 13x9 baking dish - I used a glass one and the roast will bake uncovered.
- Rinse and then wipe the roast with paper towels and place it in the baking dish.
- Peel and sliver the garlic cloves then pierce the roast with a sharp knife in many places on both sides.
- Insert the garlic slivers into the slits made with the knife. They don't have to be perfectly spaced at all just try to distribute the garlic flavors well.
- Sprinkle the side of the roast with the least fat with half the salt and oregano then flip it over and sprinkle the fattiest side with the rest of the salt and oregano. (You want the fat to cook into the meat and not into the pan.)
- Place the meat in the middle of your PREHEATED 350 degree oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- Combine the red wine, tomato juice and fresh lemon juice and after 30 minutes of cooking pour the juices OVER the roast and return it to the over for another 2 hours. Check the meat occasionally and baste it a couple of times during the cooking. If the juices appear to be getting thin add a 1/2 cup or so water to the juices in the pan and NOT over the roast.
- Remove from the oven when done and let it set for 10 minutes or longer before removing from the pan and slicing.
Notes
*If you don't have tomato juice handy just use half tomato sauce and half water to approximate this ingredient.
Could you do this in a crockpot instead?
Hi Jen! This has a pretty delicate flavor that is complimented by the roasting so it is possible that you could but I’m just not sure. If you try it and find that it works out let me know though 🙂
I don’t usually have tomato juice around, and if I buy it for something like this, I tend to forget the rest and let it spoil. I have found that buying a six pack of those little V-8 cans is extremely useful. I use them in everything that calls for tomato juice and I find that the V-8 flavor is WONDERFUL, adding much depth even without a lot of extra herbs when I am not feeling very inspired. I use it in stuffed peppers, stuffed cabbage rolls and dishes like this one. Try it…you may be sold, too!
Thanks for the tip, Erica! I’ll definitely give that a try. 🙂