We've partnered with Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork to bring you recipes, tips, and tricks for cooking with one of our favorite ingredients: fresh pork loin!

Why have chicken every night when you could be serving up pork loin instead? This satisfying, flavorful, affordable cut is easy to prepare and can feed a whole crowd. It’s delicious in its own right, yet versatile enough to take on the flavor profiles of your favorite dishes.

For a simple roasting method for boneless pork loin, we turned to Colby Garrelts, James Beard Foundation award-winning chef of Rye and Bluestem in Kansas City. Slice it, plate it with a side dish or two, and you’ve got yourself a fine dinner. Just make sure to save the leftovers, as there are plenty of tasty ways to prepare pork loin that go way beyond supper.

Here, Garrelts shares an easy, fail-proof method for preparing a perfect roasted pork loin, along with five creative ways to transform the versatile cut into a brand new meal.

Heat oven to 375°F. Season 2 lb. boneless pork loin with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large cast iron pan over medium-high. Place pork loin, fat side down, in pan and brown on all sides, turning several times, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Turn pork loin (fat side down again) and place the pan in oven. Roast until internal temperature reaches 145°F to 160°F, about 20 minutes per pound (in this case, 40 minutes total). Let rest before serving, at least 10 minutes. Plate with a side or two and serve, or use as a jumping off point for these dishes:

Cuban Sandwich

• You'll also need ham, sliced dill pickles, and Swiss cheese, butter, and yellow mustard, and a Kaiser roll or soft baguette.
• Slice the pork loin to a ¼” or thinner, and griddle.
• Butter the top of the roll, and smear the inside with yellow mustard.
• Stack pork loin, cheese, ham, and pickles on bun. Press or griddle sandwich until cheese is melted.

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Schnitzel

• If you've got egg, milk, and panko on hand, you can make crispy-fried schnitzel.
• Slice the roasted pork loin to about ¼” thick.
• Dip in egg wash (about 2 eggs + ½ cup milk for 2 cutlets), dredge in panko crumbs, and pan-fry until crispy.
• Plate with a side of orzo tossed with butter & Parmesan or pan-fried spaetzle, and a side salad of arugula, thinly sliced radishes, and red onion.
• Garnish with fresh lemon wedges.

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Fajitas

• Take it in a different direction with onions, mixed peppers, flour tortillas, fajita seasoning, lime wedges, and hot sauce.
• Slice pork loin into 2” strips, and brown in a large pan.
• Remove pork strips from the pan, sauté onions and peppers until soft, then add back to the pan and season with fajita spices.
• Serve with warm flour tortillas, lime wedges, and your favorite hot sauce.

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Fried Rice

• Dice up pork loin and combine it with cooked rice, assorted fresh vegetables, a couple of eggs, soy sauce, and scallions for a satisfying meal.
• Dice the pork loin in ¼” cubes, and brown in a hot oiled wok or a large sauté pan.
• Add cooked rice, then add veggies.
• Crack in a couple of eggs, sprinkle on some soy sauce, and sauté it all together until it’s warmed through.
• Garnish with scallions.

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Benedict

• Here's how to eat roasted pork loin for breakfast: All you need is an English muffin, an egg, hollandaise sauce, and chives.
• Slice the pork loin to ½", and griddle.
• Place that on top of a buttered, griddled English muffin.
• Top with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, then garnish with chives.

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Our partner Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork offers several versatile cuts of all-natural, hand-trimmed, fresh pork, ranging from the boneless center cut pork loin used in these recipes to meaty back ribs to bone-in, thick-cut pork chops. Check out the recipes above for even more ways to cook Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork.