Old South Coca Cola Pork Loin Roast
Ingredients
For the Pork Loin:
- 5-pound pork loin roast
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup Coca-Cola
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp. oil
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. dry mustard
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. thyme, crushed
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2/3 cup Coca-Cola
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
To prepare the pork loin:
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except the meat, to form a marinade.
- Set the pork roast in a plastic bag with a zip-type seal, pour in the marinade and seal the bag.
- Set the plastic bag in a serving bowl large enough to steady the roast and keep the marinade ingredients from spreading away from the roast.
- Let stand for 24 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator, patting and turning the bag every few hours to ensure the meat marinates evenly. This helps the roast absorb the marinating liquids and creates a tender, juicy and flavorful roast.
- Remove roast from marinade and discard the marinade.
- Pre-heat oven to 325°F.
- Place roast, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan.
- Insert roast meat thermometer so the bulb is centered in the thickest part.
- Do not add water.
- Do not cover.
- Roast in a slow pre-heated oven until the thermometer registers to 175°F.
- Allow 30 to 40 minutes per pound for roasting; so for a 5-pound loin roast, you would be roasting for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- During last 1 hour of cooking time, brush on the glaze.
- Remove from the oven and out of the pan onto a platter; cover with foil tent to seal steam and rest the meat 15 minutes before slicing; this results in a much juicier roast.
To prepare the glaze:
- In a saucepan, mix together all ingredients.
- Simmer and stir to thicken.
- Brush or spoon glaze on meat frequently during last 1 hour of cooking.
Notes
If you prefer, you can just as easily cook on the grill or in the smoker.
Alternatively, you can slow-roast. Instead of roasting at 325°F, use a slow oven at 250°F – 275°F and allow almost twice as long. The meat will be even more tender. Use a meat thermometer, or whatever means you like, to achieve desired degree of meat temperature to consider the roast done. Serve any remaining sauce with the sliced pork if you like.