Food & Cooking Cooking How-Tos & Techniques How to Cook Bone-In Pork Loin, the Right Way Our step-by-step guide takes you through this classic technique. By Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 26, 2024 Close Though cooking bone-in pork loin might seem intimidating, it can be done in six easy steps. Seasoned with herbs and garlic, roast pork loin is a delicious option for either casual or formal dinners. We have several recipes for this cut of meat that you can follow, such as an herb-crusted version and a roast paired with apples, but if you learn the basic technique for adding more flavor, you can easily adapt it to your tastes or to other cuts of meat. The technique is similar to larding, except that instead of fat, garlic and ground fennel seed are inserted into slits in the meat. Consider adding fresh chopped herbs like rosemary or sage to the mix. We used a pork loin that was about 3 1/2 pounds and 7 inches long, with five bones. Have the butcher french the bones for you and cut the chine bones so the loin can be easily cut into chops after roasting. Ahead is everything you need to know about cooking a bone-in pork loin so delicious and tender, it'll have everyone asking for seconds. 01 of 06 Ingredients and Preheating the Oven You'll need one bone-in pork loin (about 3 1/2 pounds), 24 very thin slivers of garlic from one or two cloves, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of finely ground fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons of coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Using a sharp knife, make 24 slits evenly all over the pork, including the ends, and insert a sliver of garlic and a small pinch of ground fennel seed into each slit. 02 of 06 Cut the Pork Holding a knife against the bones, cut about two inches down to separate the meat from the bone to create a pocket, leaving the bottom portion intact. 03 of 06 Season the Pork Season the inside pocket with salt and pepper, then add chopped garlic and about 1/4 teaspoon of fennel seed, spreading evenly. 04 of 06 Tie the Pork Tie the roast closed with kitchen twine before seasoning generously with salt and pepper. 05 of 06 Roast It Place the meat on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part (avoiding bone) registers 130 degrees—around 45 to 60 minutes. We recommend starting to check the temperature after 40 minutes so you can better gauge its progress. 06 of 06 Serve the Meat Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise to 140. We find this is the optimal temperature for pork that is juicy and very slightly pink; if you are concerned, cook the pork to 140 and it will rise to 150 degrees. Updated by Lynn Andriani Lynn Andriani Lynn Andriani is a New York City-based writer with 24 years of experience working in professional publishing and communication roles in addition to being a food writer for six years with MarthaStewart.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit