KANSAS CITY, MO. — Tyson Foods is delivering “affordable elegance with fool-proof preparation” with the company’s new Garlic Thyme and Rosemary Bone-in Frenched pork loin roast available at Kroger and other select retailers nationwide in time for the holiday season.

The product is intended to be a show-stopping center-of-the-plate masterpiece – a premium bone-in center-cut pork loin with the excess fat and cartilage removed from the bones of the rack. The presentation is more than just good looking; it maximizes flavor and tenderness of the meat. The product also aligns with consumer demand for convenient meal solutions that don’t skimp on flavor.

Chef Will McCormick, senior manager of culinary innovation at Tyson Foods, the inspiration for the elegant pork roast springs from the idea of shared experiences like the family meal.

“We want to find foods that resonate with consumers,” McCormick said, “and flavor profiles that resonate with consumers. So, nothing eats better with a fresh roasted cut of meat than garlic and thyme, right? With pork. It’s almost a given that you're going to have those rich, bold flavors in there with those undertones of herbs.

“We’re always trying lots of different flavor profiles, but the one that we always come back to is one that is familiar yet refined, and this product really does offer that.”

McCormick said a fine line exists between the flavor profile developed in the kitchen and the way consumers’ palettes will perceive those flavors. So, the meat will release top notes of roasting herbs during cooking, and the flavors and aromas will evolve throughout the eating experience.

“When you slice this cut of meat, this large format, you want to see that beautiful, rich, moist interior,” he said. “You want to have those flavor profiles that are just exploding with aromas.

“So, I think that those rich undertones of garlic with that thyme and a little bit of cracked black pepper, it just creates this total mouthwatering experience that is so delicious.”

Cooking a classic

Tyson’s Frenched Pork Loin Roast was designed for home cooking. It is a relatively lean cut of meat, but a forgiving cut that benefits from low and slow roasting. The cut has a thin fat cap that renders as it roasts, basting the meat and maintaining moisture inside the cut while crisping up the outside.

“The way we’ve been preparing it, we go to about a 325° oven, and we found that’s kind of a sweet spot to be able to give enough caramelization and transfer that great flavor that’s created during that roasting process,” Chef McCormick said. “We cook it to an internal temperature of 140°, and make sure we’re allowing for a little of that carryover heat that still allows for that kind of ‘wow’ factor — when you slice into this cut in between those bones, you get that big juicy explosion of moist meat.”

Some consumers may prefer to grill the pork loin roast. Chef McCormick said grilling is a suitable cooking method for a pork loin roast any time of the year.

“It does offer that variety, and since it is such a ubiquitous flavor profile, we’re able to not just think about this during holiday times, but outside of those spaces where you might want to celebrate in the summertime or, you know, firing up the grill in spring,” he said.

Holiday Highlight

High prices for food have weighed heavily on consumers’ purchasing decisions for meat and poultry, and money saving measures are in play during shopping occasions. The 2024 Power of Meat report found that, “Value dominates the purchase decision, with the top three drivers being quality, price per pound and the total package price.”

Further, hybrid meals, which combine some home-cooked and some ready-to-eat and heat-and-eat items are much more common these days, according to the Power of Meat. A home cook can place the roast in the oven, and while it’s cooking prepare mashed potatoes or, for a lighter eating experience, pureed squash.

Leftovers make good sandwiches, McCormick said.

“It is a large cut and if you have a smaller family, it’s great to be able to slice big, thick cuts of this pork loin and put them on a sandwich,” he said. “So, a little caramelized onion, some great mustard on there, toast it all together and you have just a fantastic leftover sandwich.”

Tyson Foods believes the product offers a fantastic value proposition compared to other proteins such as beef. The Frenched Pork Loin Roast is available in packs of four with a suggested price of $4.99 per lb or $14.99-$18.99 per unit, which Tyson believes is a good value for a premium centerpiece protein that can be stretched into additional meals. This tracks with the Power of Meat report which found that one in 10 shoppers are willing to spend more on meat purchases, especially during holidays, special occasions and entertaining friends and family.

“If you look at typical center of the plate proteins, your typical center-of-the-plate roast, a lot of times there’s a high dollar amount associated with that, especially if you’re going to look at something like a whole prime rib or, you know, a whole New York strip,” Chef McCormick said. “You’re able to get that that same quality of eating experience, but the actual cost value is a little bit more conscious and in line with people that are trying to stay on budget.

“We want to really drive that eating experience, save our consumers money, but still deliver on that that great experience,” he said.