Wok's For Dinner: German Pork Roast & Root Vegetables

I came across this recipe in the Taste of Home April & May 2009 magazine as I was searching for recipes for my July once a month cooking menu. I had bought a ginormous pork loin, and since I decided to cut it up into chops and small roasts, I figured that this particular meal would work out perfectly. It just sounded so good, and was different from any other roast recipe I've ever made.

German Pork Roast

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp stone-ground mustard (I used dijon mustard)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano (I used 1 Tbsp fresh oregano from my garden)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp rosemarry, crushed
1/4 tsp pepper
1 boneless whole pork loin roast, 3-4lbs (my roast was probably 1.5lbs)
4 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into wedges (I used 3 potatoes)
3 medium onions, cut into wedges (I just used one onion)
1 medium yellow tomato, cut into wedges (I used a red roma tomato)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks (not in recipe, but I added them anyways)

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard & seasonings. Rub over roast. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, onions & tomatoes to the pan; bake 40-70 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 F and vegetables are tender. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.


Since my roast and the amount of vegetables was a lot less, I went ahead & added the vegetables to the roasting pan instead of baking the roast first without the veggies. I tried to adjust my cooking time, figuring a smaller roast didn't have to cook as long. But strangely enough, the roast and the veggies simply did not want to cook up. After about 45 minutes, the meat & veggies started looking a little parched. So I added about 1/2 cup water to the roasting pan and covered loosely with a sheet of foil, then put back into the oven. In about 15 minutes or so, everything was completely done and smelled heavenly. After cooling, I sliced the meat up, then put everything into a gallon-size freezer bag and stuck in the freezer. I thawed it in the fridge for about 36 hours and heated it in the microwave.

Let me tell you, this tasted fantastic! All the flavors blended together so well. Nothing was overpowering, even the tomato tasted like it belonged. I would have never thought to add a tomato to a roast on my own, nor would I have ever guessed there was lemon juice and mustard in the rub had I not added them myself. It was a really good meal! I'll definitely add this meal to our list of favorites. Too bad I was the only one who got to try it!