X-MAS Roast (Top Loin)

This post was actually written by XYZ_RecipeBoy, thank you to my first Contributor!

This is a moderately priced cut of meat. This roast is easy to prepare, comes out juicy, tasty and tender. Basically it's tarred and feathered all over (chili pepper, black pepper and salt). It is tied with two strings which also helps stow the garlic. I make small incisions and use cloves from a whole garlic head, and place large slivers under the string . I also inserted peppercorns and studded the top with one row of (spice) cloves.

For Xmas, when the weather is typically cold, cloves are not only a tradition but also a logical health choice. Apart from the aromatic flavor and warming properties, it is a digestive aid for holiday sized appetites. It helps curb the desire for (too much) alcohol, and Chinese medicine says the clove is an aphrodisiac. That's why I am in charge of spicing the red meats.


The roast was placed on a rack, fat side up. The oven was preheated to 275 deg. F and the roast cooked for 30 minutes and then lowered to 230 deg. F. I inserted a meat thermometer after the first 1.5 hours of cooking and watched it rise to 155 deg. F. At this point I raised the oven to 275 deg. F to finish and took the roast out when it reached 160 deg. F (Medium). The temperature rose to 165 while setting 10 minutes for the remainder of the meal to be completed - onions studded with cloves, carrots, potatoes and ginger cooked in coconut cream and lime.


This was a 3.4 pound roast and took approximately 3 hours overall to cook. These pictures are of the left-overs. It was mostly devoured before the pretty pictures could be taken.

Focus: Meat, peppers, garlic, clove

Taste Values:
Level 1 - Sweet, pungent (5), astringent
Level 2 -
Level 3 -

Health Values:
Level 1 - Digestive
Level 2 - Respiratory
Level 3 -