Garlic Studded Pork Loin

This Garlic Studded Pork Loin combines whole garlic cloves tucked into the roast with a brown sugar and smoked paprika rub. It’s a flavorful main dish that pairs nicely with simple, mildly seasoned sides.

A Recipe I’ve Adapted Over Time

I found the original recipe online many years ago and saved it, but my copy no longer includes information about where it came from. I’ve adjusted a few ingredients and directions over time to suit our tastes, and this is the version we enjoy at home.

Garlic Inside and Out

This recipe uses both whole garlic cloves and minced garlic. The whole cloves go into small openings in the pork loin, while the minced garlic becomes part of the seasoning mixture rubbed over the outside.

Use a small knife to make 10 openings across the top of the roast, deep enough to hold the whole garlic cloves. Push one clove into each opening so it sits inside the meat. The cloves soften as the pork cooks, giving you pockets of garlic throughout the roast.

For the outside seasoning, you can use freshly minced garlic or jarred minced garlic. Use whichever you prefer or have available.

Oil First, Then the Seasoning Rub

After inserting the whole garlic cloves, rub the pork loin on all sides with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. The oil goes directly onto the meat before you apply the remaining ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the minced garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub this mixture over all sides of the oiled pork loin.

The brown sugar adds sweetness that balances the garlic and seasonings. I use smoked paprika for its smoky flavor, but regular paprika will work if that’s what you have. The finished roast will simply have less of that smoky flavor.

Roasting the Garlic Studded Pork Loin

Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking dish with a little additional olive oil. Place the prepared pork loin in the dish with the fat side facing up.

For a 2–3-pound pork loin, allow approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour as a general cooking guide. The thickness of the meat and your oven will affect the timing, so begin checking the temperature before the estimated time is up.

Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the pork, keeping the probe out of the garlic pockets. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. The thermometer reading should determine when the roast is ready, even if it takes more or less time than expected.

Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Use Pork Loin for This Recipe

Pork loin and pork tenderloin are different cuts. This recipe is written for a 2–3-pound pork loin roast. Tenderloin is smaller and narrower, so it would cook more quickly and need different timing.

Check the package label when choosing your roast so you have the cut intended for this recipe.

What to Serve with Garlic Studded Pork Loin

This is a very flavorful roast, so I prefer mildly flavored sides alongside it. A heavily seasoned side can compete with the garlic, smoked paprika, and brown sugar rather than complement them.

Simply prepared potatoes, plain rice, or lightly buttered noodles are good options. Add a vegetable such as green beans, peas, or carrots with a little butter and seasoning to complete the meal.

Choose whatever your family enjoys, keeping the seasonings simple enough to let the pork be the main flavor on the plate.

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Garlic Studded Pork Loin

Pork loin studded with whole garlic cloves, rubbed with olive oil, and coated with brown sugar, smoked paprika, and garlic seasonings. Serve with simple sides that complement the flavorful roast.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 approximately

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 –3 pounds boneless pork loin
• 10 whole garlic cloves peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional oil for greasing the baking dish
• 5 cloves garlic minced, or 1½ tablespoons jarred minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

Equipment

• basking dish or roasting pan
• cutting board
• small sharp knife
• small mixing bowl
• measuring spoons
• meat thermometer
• carving knife

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with additional olive oil.
2. Using a small sharp knife, make 10 openings across the top of the pork loin, deep enough to hold the whole garlic cloves. Insert one whole garlic clove into each opening.
3. Rub the pork loin on all sides with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder.
5. Rub the seasoning mixture over all sides of the oiled pork loin. Place in the prepared baking dish with the fat side facing up.
6. Roast uncovered for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork, away from the garlic pockets, reads 145°F. Begin checking before the estimated time is up. Cooking time will vary with the size and thickness of the roast.
7. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Cooking time: Allow approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. The size and thickness of the roast and your oven will affect the timing. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, then let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Choose pork loin: This recipe uses a boneless pork loin roast. Pork tenderloin is a smaller, narrower cut and requires different cooking times.

Apply the oil separately: Insert the whole garlic cloves first, rub the pork with olive oil, and then apply the seasoning mixture.

Garlic options: Use 5 freshly minced garlic cloves or 1½ tablespoons of jarred minced garlic for the seasoning mixture, in addition to the 10 whole cloves inserted into the roast.

Paprika: Smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor. Regular paprika can be substituted if preferred.

Serving suggestions: Pair with mildly seasoned potatoes, rice, noodles, or vegetables to complement the flavor of the pork.

Servings: Yield is approximate and will vary with the weight of the roast and the size of your portions.