Perfectly Tender, Keto Friendly, Pork Loin with Mashed Cauliflower and Mushroom Gravy

This easy to prepare, keto friendly meal will for sure please your crowd! With pork so tender and juicy, it will practically melt in your mouth, and mushroom gravy sauce that you will want to drink (literally… I pour some in a small glass for my guy 😉 )

Pork loin is naturally a high protein, leaner meat that can be fork-tender and mouth-wateringly delicious when cooked properly.

This meal has been one of my go-to’s for the past several months. It is easily reproducible, relatively inexpensive, low-carb but still filling with high protein, and one that my man frequently requests. It is easy enough to prepare in a time-pinch but opulent enough for a fancy Covid-approved dinner date night in!

There is an equally delicious alternative to pork loin, which can also be cooked to tender perfection, aka, pork tenderloin. I point this out primarily to highlight that these are, in fact, two different cuts of meat, and as such, would be cooked in their own unique ways. This recipe could easily use either cut, for my purposes, I will be using a pork loin fillet.

Forewarning, I do not have a nice kitchen or nice cooking materials – as of right now I live with guys who think they are still teenagers, so I can’t have nice things (yet) – so forgive the less than perfect pictures. >.<

_____

My basic ideology (when it comes to typical week-night dinners, at least):

Simple > Complicated

Work smarter, not harder, right??

It is for that reason, that I buy a pre-packaged mushroom-gravy sauce, pre-minced garlic, and frozen mashed cauliflower rather than prepare it from scratch. I actually usually do buy whole baby bella mushrooms and chop them myself, but I took an extra leisure step this week and bought the pre-cut version. By all means, you can use and make the real thing! I’m sure it may take the meal to another level. However, this brings to mind a quote from a truly enlightened and illustrious individual we all hold fondly in our memories:

“Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

-Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins

That said, if you are looking for a time-efficient, simple and straightforward, high-protein and low-carb meal to make for you and your boo, this is the recipe for you!

You will also need a few “pantry items” – if you don’t keep these items stocked, add them to your G-List! 🙂

_____

Imperfect Tips for Perfect Pork:

• Sear meat on high heat to seal in flavor as well as add a nice ‘crust’ and color
• Do not over cook – use a thermometer to obtain the perfect internal temperature
• Allow the meat to rest before cutting
•  Use an iron skillet – make sure it is preheated well
  • Pro Tip: After cleaning and thoroughly drying my skillet post-meal-production, I like do a light coating with spray oil or other fat-based ‘seasoning’ and stick back into the warm, but turned off oven. This will semi-re-season it, acts as storage, and will warm up the skillet the next time I’m preheating the oven. > Just be careful to take it out before the oven gets too hot (use an oven mitt!), and/or take it out before turning the oven on if not planning to use your skillet!

Pork Internal Temperature Digression:

Using a thermometer is a crucial aspect for perfectly tender pork. I personally use a digital thermometer I bought from Amazon (I’m not sponsored, so no links here – I just got one that was recommended/best seller/good reviews).

Pork Internal Temperature: 145-160°F

Pork loin fillets are recommended to cook to an internal temperature of 145°F, with ground or other cuts recommended to the higher end 160°F. For juicy, tender pork, aim for a ‘medium-rare’ cook with an internal temperature around 145-150°F. Cooking to this temp will give a cooked medallion with a light-pink center.

I personally enjoy this level of cooking; my boyfriend prefers cooked a little more, so we sear his medallions after cooking the whole loin to get rid of the pink center. If the minimum internal temperature is met, the color and amount of cooking thereafter is a personal preference. That said, it is perfectly fine (and recommended) to cook to the juicy-medium-rare of 145°F. Read more about pork-cooking temperature here, at Pork.org.

Using a digital thermometer: make sure to check calibration regularly, turn on, stick the probe in so that it is in the thickest and/or center of the meat, and allow to come to a stable reading.

– ALLOW YOUR MEAT TO REST AT LEAST 3-5 MINUTES BEFORE SLICING –

–THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!–

Mushroom Gravy Tips:

Since I buy and follow package-instructions (mostly) for the ‘just add water’ powdered gravy, there isn’t much I can add regarding the gravy, other than I would recommend:

• Add fresh mushrooms to what little dehydrated chunks provided
• Sauté and season the mushrooms separately prior to adding them to the cooked gravy
• Depending on thickness of gravy desired, you can adjust cooking temp- and time, or adjust the water added
  • I recommend following package instructions if it’s your first time, then playing around with it in subsequent recipes to your liking

Honestly, I don’t even really like gravy… I’m born and raised southerner, but, bless my heart, I hate biscuits and gravy, I won’t let gravy go near any part of my Thanksgiving meal, including, but not limited to mashed potatoes or dry turkey… That said, I LOVE THIS GRAVY!! I literally can drink it. My BF loves gravy, and he LOVES this gravy too – he drinks it, AND licks the plate after! ;D

Without further ado, the recipe!!

____________________________________

Perfectly Tender, Keto Friendly, Pork Loin with Mashed Cauliflower and Mushroom Gravy

Recipe:

(Makes 5 servings)

Ingredients:

• 24 oz Pork Loin – Original (No Flavoring, keep whole – do not slice (yet ;))
• 1 – Packet of Powdered Mushroom Gravy (20 g)
• 4 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (~1/2 8 oz container), roughly chopped
• 1 – Box of Frozen Cauliflower (312 g or 1 1/4 cup)

Spices & Pantry Goods:

• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Black Pepper
• Med-grain coarsely ground Salt
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F (this is where I leave my iron skillet in the oven to get the pan nice and evenly-heated).
2. Season the pork loin on both/all sides with a simple seasoning: black pepper, salt, onion and garlic powder – rub seasonings into pork (don’t forget good hand-washing hygiene!).
3. Using an oven mitt, remove iron skillet from oven, and place on stove-top heater on “1 notch above medium heat”.
4. Add EVOO and 0.5 tbsp of butter to the pan – allow to melt but do not allow fats to brown or burn.
5. Add pre-seasoned pork loin to skillet. Allow ~3-5 minutes to sear on each side (until nicely browned).
6. While pork is searing, add roughly chopped baby bella mushrooms to a wok or frying pan with some spray oil and 1/4 tbsp of butter at medium heat (can simply slice mushrooms, then use wooden cooking spoon to break up into smaller pieces inside the pan).
7. Season mushrooms with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, minced garlic, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Add ~1/4 cup water to the pan create a ‘steaming’ effect, stir to mix, and cover to soften and sauté mushrooms. Allow to cook on medium heat for ~5 minutes, then reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer until ready to transfer to gravy.
8. After searing pork on all sides, transfer entire skillet to pre-heated oven. Allow to roast for 15-20 minutes (oven heating may vary from household to household – stop cook time when desired internal temperature of 145-150°F is met).
9. Follow your gravy package or recipe’s instructions. For Publix brand mushroom gravy sauce, the directions (mixed with what I do) are:
   1. Add remaining butter to small sauce pan on Medium heat – allow to melt (aside from flavor and a ‘buttery’ mouth-feel, butter can also help to thicken the gravy).
   2. Add 1 cup cold water to powdered gravy mix in sauce pan – whisk until combined.
   3. Cover mixture, whisking occasionally, allow mixture to come to a light boil.
   4. Reduce heat to Low and allow to simmer.
   5. Stir in fully sautéed baby bella’s to cooked gravy mixture.
   6. Keep gravy on warm/low until ready to serve.
10. While sauce and pork is cooking, follow package instructions to cook mashed cauliflower. After cooked, add salt and pepper to taste and set aside until ready to serve.
11. Remove pork from oven, check that the internal temperature is within recommended range (145-150°F), remove from pan and allow to rest for at least 3-5 minutes.
12. After resting meat, slice into thick medallions (~3/4″ pieces).
    • [Pro-Tip: sometimes I will allow the sliced meat to further rest in the juices that were released after cutting. You can also use this juices to add on top of meat, into the gravy/sauce, or save it later for other recipes.]
13. To serve (Remember, we eat with our eyes first!):
    1. Add a circle-shaped dollop or two of the mashed cauliflower to a slightly rimmed plate. Using back of spoon, smear one side across plate.
    2. Add pork medallions on edge of cauliflower smear.
    3. Artfully spoon mushroom gravy sauce over pork and mashed cauliflower.
    4. Clean any rogue food-droplets, take IG pics, and serve!
    5. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information (Per Serving – Recipe makes 5 servings):

253 kCal ; 11.2 g Total Fat ; 8.8 g Carbohydrate ; 28 g Protein ; 2 g Fiber

Happy Nomming!

-Haley Overby, PhD | 2/19/2021