This is an excellent recipe to have on hand for the holiday potluck season. Pork loin is inexpensive compared to other cuts of meat, it tastes great at room temperature, is easy to prepare and is pretty difficult to get wrong. Also, while delicious, this is a fairly unobtrusive dish which pairs well with most things - always a plus at a potluck when you don't know what other people will bring.
I serve this plain with the cooking juices spooned over the top but, if you wanted to be more festive, you could serve it with a cranberry relish or a mustard sauce or simply a dish of herb and cornichon doctored mayo or even mayo into which you have stirred all of the yummy pan juices. Up to you.
My pork loin was 4.5 lbs and, sliced thinly, made 32 slices. Cooking time will be about the same no matter what the size of your loin is because the thickness of this cut of meat is always much the same; you may however want to adjust quantities of the coating ingredients if your loin is much smaller or larger.
Pork boneless center loin of size that you need
4 Tbsps mustard
2 Tbsps real maple syrup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps olive oil
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350.
Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, making sure to fold the edges of the foil upwards to create a rim that will keep the cooking juices from escaping.
Rub 2 tablespoons of the mustard over the entire surface (don't forget the ends) of the meat. Set aside while you prepare the coating.
Mix together the remaining mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, the oil and the maple syrup. Rub this mixture over the entire surface (and ends) of the meat.
Sprinkle the fennel seeds and liberal amounts of salt over the entire surface of the meat - top, bottom and ends.
Place in oven and cook for exactly 50 minutes. Remove from oven, roll the meat over so bottom is now on top, replace in oven and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool, as is, on the tray. This will make the top, which cools in the juices, shiny, pretty and more flavorful. If transporting elsewhere, once cool, wrap in the cooking foil (with maybe an additional layer of foil over it for reinforcement) and ensure that all the juices stay in your transport packet.
When ready to serve, remove the pork to a carving board, making sure that you turn it so that top of meat is back on top (remember that it cooked for the last 10 minutes, and cooled, upside down). Slice thinly and place slices attractively on a platter. Spoon over all of the cooking juices and salt to taste.