Sunday is the Super Bowl, the number two “food holiday” of the year, second only to Thanksgiving.
Want to score a touchdown without breaking the bank? Serve pork!
There are many cuts of pork that are half the price of hamburger and a fraction the cost of steak. Slow roast to juicy, savory perfection, I guarantee you no one will know you are being frugal, just fabulous.
This recipe is for garlic lovers. We’re going to make a delicious herb and garlic mixture that adds flavor and moisture as the pork cooks. Of course, you could serve this as a delectable dinner but for game day I suggest making the best sandwiches in the world.
Garlic and Herb Pork Roast
6-to-8 pounds whole pork sirloin – or other inexpensive cut of pork – see note;
5-to-10 whole cloves garlic – to taste;
½ cup sweet onion – coarsely chopped;
6 tablespoons olive oil;
1 cup fresh parsley – loosely packed – or – half rosemary, half parsley;
1 tablespoon each – kosher salt and dried Italian seasoning;
½ teaspoon each – ground black pepper and dried basil;
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
Preheat oven to 275. Pulse the garlic and onion in a food processor with the olive oil. Add parsley and blend into a paste. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, balsamic and combine.
This garlic mixture is extremely strong due to raw garlic and onion. Please remember it’s going to season all of the pork and the mixture will cook inside the pork. Depending on your cut of pork (see note below) butterfly the roast and pound it to an even thickness.
Reserve one quarter of the garlic mixture and spread the rest evenly on the pork. Roll the pork jellyroll style and secure with kitchen twine. Place in a roasting pan and top with the remaining garlic mixture.
Cook uncovered at 275 for approximately 25 minutes per pound. Always use a meat thermometer to be certain the meat is properly cooked. It’s done when the center temperature reaches 145 to 150 as the temperature will rise as it rests.
Remove from oven, tent with foil and rest for 20 minutes. Serve on rolls with melted cheese, minced Giardiniera mixed with mayo and sliced tomatoes.
Note about pork – For this recipe any cut of pork will work. You may need to change the way the herb and garlic mixture is applied. If you’re using a large bone-in cut of pork you can make slits in the pork and press half of the herb mixture down into the openings then rub the remainder over the outside.
For this recipe test I bought an eight-pound vacuum pack of pork loin that, upon opening, was four, two-pound mini roasts. This was perfect. For instructional photos join us on Facebook at “DivasOnADimeDotCom.”
Frugal Festivity contributed by Patti Diamond author of Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous!, www.divasonadime.com