It gets very hot in the summer in the south of France. During the month of July, it is not desirable to eat anything hot, so many dishes are served cold, meat included. We often roast pork shoulder, pork butt, or tenderloin early in the morning before the heat sets in, then serve it cold with aioli on the side. Aioli is homemade mayonnaise with the addition of pressed garlic. It's a must-have recipe.
Homemade mayonnaise is one of the mother sauces in French cooking, and you can use it in various dishes, as a garnish, and as a dip that will transform an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one. Once you have the recipe down pat, you can make homemade mayonnaise in 3 minutes. And it is worth having this recipe on your family menu. You can learn how to make homemade mayonnaise here.
This healthy easy dinner idea, roast pork butt, shoulder, or loin, is a fast and simple recipe for a dinner party or dinner for a large family. The flavor comes from the meat and the olive oil as it roasts the meat. You will learn how to roast pork loin in the oven at the perfect temperature so it is not dry.
Homemade mayonnaise or aioli (mayonnaise with the addition of fresh garlic) served with cold pork is ideal for leftovers, dinner parties, or make-ahead dinners. See the notes below for ideas and recipes to use with leftover pork roast.
It can be confusing to figure out which cut of meat to purchase, so here are some photos I hope will help.
Pork Shoulder
Pork Butt
Pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork tenderloin
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
If you have time, remove the pork from the fridge an hour or so before cooking so it cooks more evenly.
Place the pork in a baking dish.
Pour a slight drizzle of olive oil on top of the pork and use your hands to rub it all around to coat it evenly.
Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Bake at 350 degrees F until the thermometer registers about 140 degrees. The final temperature should be 145-155 degrees. Once removed from the oven, cover with foil. The pork will continue to cook for about another 10 degrees.
Store it in the fridge until it is time to serve. Serve with a bowl of homemade mayonnaise or aioli on the side.
Roast Boneless Tenderloin
Roast Pork Shoulder
Roast Pork Butt
Some ideas and recipes for leftover roast pork;
Use the leftover pork for tacos
Chop the pork and saute in the pan juices or with olive oil or butter. Add some fresh rosemary or parsley and perhaps a splash of cream. Then toss with pasta.
Make tartines. Toast bread and rub it with a clove of garlic, top with leftover pork and cheese, then warm in the oven. You can learn about tartines here.
Tartines with various leftovers.
Roast Chicken which is also excellent cold with aioli.
