HOW TO COOK A CENTER CUT PORK LOIN RECIPES

Steps:

• - For this recipe I used a 6-qt crock pot that comes equipped with a meat thermometer that plugs into the unit and provides continuous monitoring of the meat temperature. (See "BACKGROUND" below for further explanation.) I also used a metal oval cooking rack that fits perfectly into the crock pot which raises the roast up and keeps it from sitting in the liquid at the bottom of the pot. To simplify cleaning I also used a disposable slow cooker liner.
• - BACKGROUND: We have been using crock pots to cook beef and pork roasts for more than 40 years. We would always follow the recommended cooking times of 8 to 12 hours on LOW heat. (I believe the instructions for today's newer crock pots have lowered the recommended cooking time down to about 6 to 10 hours.) But the roast always turned out tough and dried out regardless of how much spice, sauces, and liquids were added or not added to the meat. We now know this long duration cooking just removed all the meat's nutrients and natural flavors. This is why they all came out tasting about the same with that proverbial "crock pot flavor/aftertaste". So we invested in a crock pot that has an attached meat thermometer which continuously monitors the meat temperature then shuts the cooker off when the correct temperature is reached. This way you are not always removing the lid to use a hand-held meat thermometer which also adds to the cooking time due to the loss of heat, or so says the owner's manual. Now back to the cooking instructions.
• - Place the roast on the cooking rack and pour the 13 ounces (1 1/3 cups) of pre-packaged slow-cooker sauce of your choice over the meat. In this recipe I used a 2.5 pound boneless pork loin center cut.
• - Place the lid on the crock pot and insert the attached meat thermometer through the access hole in the lid into the thickest part of the roast and turn the heat onto LOW.
• - This particular crock pot took 2 hours and 45 minutes to raise the meat’s internal temperature from 32 degrees to 140 degrees. Upon reaching 135 to 140 degrees immediately remove the roast and wrap it in aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 to 30 minutes. The meat will continue to cook and redistribute its nutrients and natural flavors. (If you use a hand-held meat thermometer when you first remove the roast from the slow cooker you will see the smaller end pieces are already past 145 degrees. Serve these sections to your guests who like their meat well done and dried out.).
• - Now remove the metal cooking rack from the crock pot but leave it on LOW in order to keep the sauce at the bottom hot.
• - Skim off any fat that may be floating on top of the sauce and then stir it up.
• - Slice the roast to the thickness desired and spoon the sauce over the slices.
• - Now ENJOY!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stir together the mustard and thyme in a small bowl. Season the pork roast all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper, then rub the top with the mustard-thyme mixture (leave the bottom and sides bare).
• Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, undisturbed, until dark golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Turn the onion wedges over and cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in the cider, stirring to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Scatter the dried fruit evenly in the skillet and remove from the heat.
• Put the roast in the skillet mustard-side up, then bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the roast reads 145 to 150 degrees F, about 1 hour (the roast will continue cooking once you remove it from the oven). Transfer the roast to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. 
• Cut the roast into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Season the pan sauce, onions and dried fruit with salt and pepper and serve with the pork.