Country Style Pork Loin With Gravy

Twelve people at Thanksgiving and James at the head of the table. He arrived Wednesday evening and walked into my house smelling like the highway and looking lighter than I have seen him in months, and I stood in my kitchen and thought: Dorothy's good news is in his posture. Relief lives in the body. You can see it.

Thursday: turkey came out golden, the dressing was right, the macaroni set properly, the rolls came out of the oven at exactly the right moment because I have made them enough times to know the moment. Shanice's oxtails were magnificent. I said so in front of everyone. She demurred and I said, Shanice, I am a person whose opinion on food you should accept without argument, and these oxtails are magnificent. She said, yes ma'am. Paulette Carter said the same thing and patted her daughter-in-law's hand, and I thought: we have made something here, these two grandmothers-to-be. Something that will feed this family for a long time.

James said grace. I hadn't planned to ask him — it just came out when we sat down: James, will you say it? He did. He thanked God for Dorothy's healing and for the table and for the women who made the food and for the people who drove from Huntsville and Birmingham and Atlanta to sit in this house together in November. He named each person. He sounded like our father, which he didn't when we were young but has grown to sound like, gradually, the way you grow into your inheritance whether or not you intended to. Twelve people and every single one of them said amen with something in their voice that meant it. That is the whole point. That is Thanksgiving exactly right.

Shanice’s oxtails were the talk of that table, and rightly so — but what they reminded me of, deep down, is what happens when you give meat and time and attention to something worth saving. That is the whole philosophy of this country style pork loin with gravy, which I have made more times than I can count for gatherings just like that one. When twelve people sit down together and someone has driven from Huntsville, from Birmingham, from Atlanta, you do not serve them something quick. You serve them something smothered. Something that tells them they were worth the hours it took.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 to 4 lb boneless pork loin roast
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Season the pork. Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl and rub the mixture evenly over all sides of the roast. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the pan.
Sear the roast. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, place the pork loin in the pot and sear without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms on all sides. Transfer the seared roast to a plate and set aside.
Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Deglaze and braise. Pour in the chicken broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot — those bits are flavor. Stir in the dried thyme. Return the pork loin to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. The liquid should come about halfway up the roast. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 hours, turning the roast once at the halfway point.
Rest the roast. When the pork is fork-tender and registers 160°F at its thickest point, transfer it to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Make the gravy. While the roast rests, increase the heat under the braising liquid to medium. In a small bowl, mash the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (this is a beurre manié). Whisk the paste into the simmering liquid a little at a time, letting it incorporate fully before adding more. Cook the gravy, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens to a pourable, spoonable consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Slice and serve. Slice the pork loin into 3/4-inch rounds and arrange on a serving platter. Ladle the onion gravy generously over the top. Serve immediately alongside your choice of mashed potatoes, rice, or cornbread dressing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Country Style Pork Loin With Gravy — The Kind of Cooking That Holds a Family Together