Doug Kelner wrote:
> This is my first post here.
> We are having a dinner party - menu:
> 1) Pork tenderloin. Recipe is for 1 lb roast. we're having 4 lbs.
> But basically it is still a tenderloin. (not any thicker - just
> longer). Recipe has cooking for 25 minutes.
>
> 2) Potatoes. REcepie calls for 45-50 minutes
>
> temperature for both is 375. We have a convection oven. Recipies are
> for conventional oven. I've read that with convection you should be
> able to lower cooking times by 25%.
>
> Question - given the above recipies and how we're increasing the
> portion - I'm at a loss as to how long to cook everything.
>
> Suggestions would be most welcome

Welcome, DougK. As Pastorio (The Other Bob) would say, cook the pork
tenderloin by temperature, not by time. Insert a decent meat thermometer at
the thickest part and roast it until it is about 135 degrees Farenheight.
When you let it stand before slicing it will continue to cook to about 150F
or even 160F. Personally I don't like over-cooked pork of any kind. You
may wish to stud this with some garlic cloves (make cuts into the loin and
inbed garlic slivers into the meat). Brush with some oil and sprinkle fresh
rosemary over the top or just pack a couple of fresh sprigs around the loin.
Don't forget to sprinkle some ground black pepper over it (I don't like to
salt the meat; I let people do this at the table). A pork loin that size
might take 60 minutes at 375F. Again, go by temperature, not by cooking
time.

There could be a huge debate here about what type of potatoes. Small "new"
ones, medium red ones, Idaho white spuds or Yukon Gold. Use whatever you
like! I would recommend you cut larger potatoes into 2 inch pieces; I
leave the skins on. Brush these also with oil and for potatoes I *do*
sprinkle with both salt & pepper. Probably an hour at that temp. Poke a
fork in them to see if they are done; if the pork loin reaches desired
cooking temp before the potatoes are done, wrap the pork in some foil after
it stands to hold in the heat and finish cooking the potatoes to desired
doneness.

Welcome to the group! And thanks for making me crave pork loin and roasted
potatoes.

Jill (who has to go to the grocery store anyway)