Eating lighter can be hard – not only to find flavorful and easy recipes, but particularly during the work week when time is tight. It’s easy to fall off the wagon during the work week and order takeout or go to the pizza joint down the road – but either one leads to a tighter waistband! I think it’s important as a blogger to be truthful in everything I write – this recipe was an accident! I made it for dinner and was expecting a beautifully glazed, sweet and tangy crust on the top of the pork. What I envisioned probably would require super sugary marmalade or maple syrup or something to achieve the “vision” I had. Yet, when we ate this pork which is no doubt delicious, I thought “what a great lightened up dish!”
This pork has bold flavors from orange, garlic and thyme which seep into the meet with a full 24 hour marinade, but doesn’t carry the calories of a glaze since we used a very liquid marinade, so most of the calories of the marinade don’t make it to the final dish. Served with brown rice and green beans, this dish is easy to make, delicious, and certainly lightened up! And, it cooks in less than an hour which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal! I hope you enjoy it! Bon appetit!
Ingredients
1.5-2lb lean pork loin, trimmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper
Directions
Add the orange juice, brown sugar, garlic, thyme and worcestershire sauce to a large zip-top bag. Add 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper and seal the bag. Using your hands, gently mix the marinade to incorporate the sugar into the mix. Gently place the pork into the marinade, seal the bag and work the marinade to surround the pork. Place the bag in a shallow dish (in case it leaks) and refrigerate for a full 24 hours.
When you’re ready to prepare the meal, take the pork out of the fridge, drain off the liquid and place the pork on a baking rack set over a baking sheet and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Using paper towels, gently pat the meat dry (so it roasts instead of steams), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the meat for 40-60 minutes until the internal temperature reads 145-150F. I like my pork medium rare, but if you prefer well-done pork, cook to 160F. Remove the meat from the pan and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes. When the pork is rested and the juices have gone back into the meat, carve into slices and serve!
The Homemade Chef 