Roasted Pork with Orange

Roasted pork with orange is a boneless pork loin basted in butter, orange juice, zest and garlic, ready in 1 hour 45 minutes. It feeds 6, and the pan juices turn into a glossy sauce you spoon over every slice.

Why This Recipe Works

The pork roasts in the orange mixture instead of sitting dry in an empty pan. The juice and butter keep the surface moist for the whole time, and the meat picks up a gentle citrus flavor as it cooks.

Basting is what builds the sauce. Each time you spoon the liquid back over the loin, the juices reduce a little more and cling to the meat. By the end you have a thin, syrupy glaze in the pan.

Orange zest, garlic, a pinch of chili powder and a pinch of oregano are all small amounts, so none of them take over. They sit behind the orange and give the pork a warm, savory edge.

Roasted Pork with Orange Ingredients

For the orange sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) orange juice, strained
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 garlic clove
• Pinch of chili powder
• Pinch of dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pork

• 1 (2 1/4-pound) boneless pork loin
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To Make Roasted Pork with Orange

Make the orange mixture

1. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) so it is ready when the pork goes in.
2. Melt the butter: Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melting it first lets it blend smoothly into the juice.
3. Add the flavors: Pour in the orange juice, then add the zest, garlic, chili powder and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and stir well, so the spices spread through the liquid.

Roast the pork

4. Season the pork: Rub the pork loin all over with salt and pepper. Set it in a roasting pan.
5. Add the sauce: Pour the orange mixture around and over the pork. The meat roasts in the liquid and stays moist.
6. Roast and baste: Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, basting often with the juices in the pan. The pork is done when it is tender all the way through.
7. Carve and serve: Slice the pork and spoon the cooking juices over the top. Serve while the sauce is still warm.

Recipe Tips

• Strain the juice: Strained orange juice gives a smooth sauce with no pulp clumps, so it coats the slices evenly.
• Baste on a schedule: Open the oven and baste every 20 minutes or so. Leaving the pork alone for too long lets the surface dry out.
• Check with a thermometer: Pork loin is done at 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, followed by a short rest. Because the roast is cooked until tender here, the thermometer simply tells you it is safe.
• Rest before slicing: Let the pork sit for 10 minutes before carving. The juices settle back into the meat and the slices stay moist.

What To Serve With Roasted Pork with Orange

Serve the slices with roasted potatoes, as in the photo, and spoon the pan juices over both. A green salad or steamed green beans adds something fresh, and orange halves on the plate make it look the part.

How To Store

• Fridge: Keep leftover pork and its juices in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze sliced pork with some of the juices for 2 to 3 months, and thaw it in the fridge, not on the counter.
• Reheat: Warm the slices gently in a covered skillet with a splash of the juices until hot all the way through.

FAQs

Can I use bottled orange juice?

Yes, as long as it is plain juice with no added sugar. Fresh juice tastes brighter, but strained bottled juice works well in this recipe.

Is roasted pork with orange gluten free?

Yes. The ingredient list has no wheat, flour or soy sauce, so it is gluten free as written. It does contain butter, so it is not dairy free.

Can I make it ahead?

You can mix the orange sauce a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Roast the pork fresh on the day, or cook it fully and reheat the slices in the juices.

Why is my pork dry?

Pork loin is lean, so it dries out when it roasts too long or sits uncovered without basting. Baste often and check the temperature near the end of the cooking time.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (1 of 6), worked out from the ingredients.

• Calories: about 330 kcal
• Total Fat: 14g
• Total Carbohydrate: 10g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 40g

Roasted Pork with Orange

Recipe by Paula

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Total time

105

minutes

Boneless pork loin roasted in butter, orange juice, zest and garlic, basted until tender. It serves 6 and makes its own glossy sauce from the pan juices.

Ingredients

• For the orange sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) orange juice, strained

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1 garlic clove

• Pinch of chili powder

• Pinch of dried oregano

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• For the pork

• 1 (2 1/4-pound) boneless pork loin

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) so it is ready when the pork goes in.
• Melt the butter: Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melting it first lets it blend smoothly into the juice.
• Add the flavors: Pour in the orange juice, then add the zest, garlic, chili powder and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and stir well, so the spices spread through the liquid.
• Season the pork: Rub the pork loin all over with salt and pepper. Set it in a roasting pan.
• Add the sauce: Pour the orange mixture around and over the pork. The meat roasts in the liquid and stays moist.
• Roast and baste: Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, basting often with the juices in the pan. The pork is done when it is tender all the way through.
• Carve and serve: Slice the pork and spoon the cooking juices over the top. Serve while the sauce is still warm.