Mustard-Roasted Pork Loin

I made a very serious shopping error last week.  I bought something without asking how much it cost, because I assumed I knew.  I've had a great recipe for beef tenderloin torn out of a magazine for months, and in doing my bi-weekly menu planning I thought we'd give that one a try.  My family really digs pork loin, so it goes to say they'd like beef tenderloin too.

That word "tender" is ridiculously expensive, I guess.

I wanted 3-4 lbs of beef tenderloin, and the butcher at our local grocery had to go back into the refrigerator unit to grab it.  No different than he does with the pork.  He said he couldn't do 3-4 lbs, he'd have to sell me 8 because if they open a package of it, they have to sell the whole thing at once or they've found the other half doesn't get sold in time and they have to throw that out.  

That should have raised an alarm.  

But no.  

I just told him I'd buy it all.  No biggie.  Our family would eat it.  Looking back, I see now that probably sounded pretty cavalier.  Because that 8 lb package cost me $90.  Yes $90.  Ninety.  Dollars.  I didn't look at the price on it until I'd turned away from the counter.  

You know that feeling when the blood drains from your face and your nose tingles?  I was there.  It couldn't be returned, because he'd broken open the package that preserves it.  It was mine.  All mine.  Dear God.  I hyperventilated through the rest of my grocery shopping and quickly left the store.

That beef tenderloin is going to sit in my freezer until August, when I have a significant birthday.  I don't even know if I like beef tenderloin--I don't even really like meat--but seriously you don't eat $90 of meat on any ol' Tuesday.  So yeah.  Instead of making that recipe, I substituted pork loin in place of the beef tenderloin, and it was brilliant if I do say so myself.

Meat is disgusting, isn't it?  It really is.  I salt and peppered all sides of this, rotating it with tongs because I really don't like touching raw stuff.  Then I whipped together butter with stone ground mustard and dijon mustard.  You'd think my kids would turn up their noses at this, but they loved it.  Weird.

It sort of looks like I frosted a cake, right?

We're freaked out about raw meat here, so I cooked it until its internal temperature was 160.  The FDA just lowered its minimum for pork to 145 degrees, but 145-160 is the recommended range.  We don't like pink meat here.  At all.

It really smelled lovely cooking--savory and tangy.  I let it rest for 15 minutes and whipped up this mustard sauce. 

Mustard sauce sounds gross.  But it isn't.  You know what else isn't gross?  This.

This stuff tasted like $90, without the whole tingly nose issue.  It's definitely a make again.  I can't vouch for what it would be like with beef tenderloin.  Give me a couple months for that.  Though I'll admit, I'm far more excited about the cake!

Mustard-Roasted Pork Loin
Adapted from Mustard-Roasted Beef Tenderloin by Martha Stewart
 
3-4 lbs pork loin
2 T stone ground mustard
1 T dijon mustard
4-5 T butter, room temperature
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.  Season the raw pork on all sides, then place it on a parchment paper-covered pan.  In a small bowl, whip together the butter, djon and stone ground mustard.  Cover the three exposed sides of the meat with the mixture.  Cook for about 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads between 145 and 160 degrees.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10-15 minutes.  Slice and serve with mustard sauce, if you're into that.

Mustard Sauce
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T stone ground mustard
1 T dijon mustard

Using beaters or a food processor, whip together all three ingredients until soft peaks form.  Serve with sliced pork loin.