Dutch Oven Pork Roast

A pork loin roast topped with thyme and surrounded by roasted vegetables in a dutch oven.

5 from 6 votes

This dijon herb pork loin is roasted in a dutch oven Buttered apples become the sweet compliment to a savory dijon pork loin that's seasoned with thyme.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 20

Resting Time15

Total Time1 35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Holiday

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Low Salt

Servings: people

Calories: 506kcal

Author: Alicia

Equipment

1 large dutch oven (7.5qt recommended)

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless pork loin roast *
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-3" pieces
1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut in half
1-2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered (if really large, cut the quarters down into 2-3" pieces)
4 large shallots, peeled and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons dijon mustard or whole grain mustard *
1.5 teaspoons dried thyme
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Buttered Apples

1-2 large apples, peeled and chopped into ½" pieces *
1 tablespoon good unsalted butter, like Kerrygold

Sauteed Cabbage

1 head of green cabbage (about 16oz), cored and sliced/shredded or pre-shredded cabbage *
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Pull pork out of the fridge to take the chill off. In a 7.5qt Dutch oven or deep roasting dish (big enough to allow the veggies to be on a single level), toss chopped vegetables with melted butter and olive oil. Season to your tastes (I recommend around ½ teaspoon kosher salt and about ¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper). Roast for 25 minutes, then transfer the veggies to a plate using wood spoon. The veggies should just be softened slightly but not fully roasted or deep brown. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, season pork with kosher salt and pepper on both sides. Place the dutch oven on the stovetop over medium high heat. It should still have a little leftover oil and butter from the veggies, but if not, add 1-2 teaspoons of oil. Sear the pork, fat side down for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the roast so the pork is fat side up, then return the semi-roasted veggies to the dutch oven, surrounding the pork roast.
Combine garlic, mustard, and thyme in a small bowl and spread on top of the pork roast. Place the dutch oven back in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes, uncovered, until the internal temp of the pork reads 140-145 degrees F. Cover the pork and allow it to rest 10-15 minutes. Slice on a cutting board and serve.

Sautéed Cabbage and Apples

While the pork is cooking, peel and chop the apples and cabbage. Melt butter in two separate pans over medium heat (or you can use the same one if you'd like and just make one dish after the other). Place chopped apples in the pan and allow them to brown, about 2 minutes, before you toss. Then toss on all sides another 2-3 minutes until softened and nicely caramelized. If using the same pan, melt butter or oil again and sauté the cabbage, until slightly browned and soft, about 10-15 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

There's a difference between tenderloin (long and thin) and pork loin (shorter and fat). Make sure you buy the "boneless pork loin roast". A tenderloin would require a different baking time.
If you do not own a dutch oven, you will need a large, deep roasting pan and tin foil to cover the dish at the end.
I used honeycrisp apples for this recipe, but your favorite, sweet apple will do.
Buy cabbage pre-shredded, which makes life a lot easier.
For a Whole30/paleo/dairy sensitive option, use ghee or olive oil, but try to use ghee for the apples if possible. For a migraine friendly dijon mustard, Annie's Naturals is widely found, but many local brands can be found without sulfites/wine. Or use whole grain mustard. This recipe is naturally gluten free.
For low sodium, omit any added salt.
Calorie count does not include apples or cabbage side dishes, which add roughly 190 calories.

Nutrition