Introduction

Pork is one of the most versatile meats, especially when it comes to roasting. I love using pork tenderloin in particular because it’s so versatile and easy to cook. But what about when you’re not looking for a small cut of meat? What if you want something big enough to feed your family or friends? That’s where pork roast comes in! Pork roast is an ideal choice for roasting because it’s tender and juicy, yet can also withstand higher temperatures than other cuts of meat. However, not just any recipe will do—pork roast needs its own special treatment!

Preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a rack in the middle of your oven and place a roasting pan on top of it.

• Using a meat thermometer, check that your pork roast has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius). If not, continue cooking until it reaches this temperature.*

Remove the pork roast from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.

Remove the pork roast from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. This will help brown the roast, as well as keep it from sticking to your pan while cooking. You can also use a wire rack to allow air to circulate around the meat, but do not use a dish cloth, as it will leave lint on your food!

Season the roast lightly on all sides with salt and pepper.

Season the pork roast lightly on all sides with salt and pepper. This is the only seasoning you should use. Use a liberal amount of coarse salt, and don’t be afraid to really grind it into the meat. The same goes for black pepper–go heavy on this seasoning as well!

Place in a roasting pan and roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.

• Place the roast in a roasting pan and roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
• Make sure to use a rack-style roaster, not just any old baking sheet or dish. The rack allows air to circulate around the meat, which helps it cook more evenly and prevents burning on the bottom of your roast (which can happen if you don’t use a rack).
• If you’re using aluminum foil as recommended above, make sure that no part of your pork touches anything else in the oven–even if only slightly! This will prevent burning on those areas as well as over-cooking other parts of the meat due to uneven heat distribution throughout your oven’s interior space.*

Reduce heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to cook for another 15 minutes per pound (for example, an 8-pound roast should be cooked for about 6 hours).

After you have browned your roast, reduce the heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to cook for another 15 minutes per pound (for example, an 8-pound roast should be cooked for about 6 hours).

Pork needs to rest before serving

When you take the pork out of the oven, it will continue to cook. This is called carryover cooking and it’s important to let your roast rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows all those juices that were brought to the surface by roasting time to redistribute throughout the meat again. If you cut into it too soon, all those precious juices will run out and make your pork dry–and nobody wants dry pork! On top of that, if you wait too long (more than 30 minutes), then your meat can cool down significantly before serving which makes for an uncomfortable eating experience as well as dry bites

Conclusion

Now that you know how long to cook a pork roast in the oven, it’s time to get cooking! Don’t forget to season your roast with salt and pepper before putting it in the oven. And remember: pork should rest before serving so don’t cut into it right away when it comes out of the oven.