This is the juiciest baked pork tenderloin recipe ever. It is covered in a straightforward spice mixture, quickly browned in a pan to form a lovely crust, and then baked in a straightforward pan sauce to keep it incredibly tender, juicy, and delectable. The melt-in-your-mouth tender pork tastes amazing as leftovers, too!.
Serve this pork tenderloin with our luscious Greek lemon potatoes and our creamy cucumber salad. And be sure to try our well-liked juicy baked pork chops if you enjoy pork recipes.
This is our favorite pork tenderloin recipe. The pork is incredibly tender and almost melts in your mouth.
We use the same spices as in our well-known recipe for juicy baked pork chops. It tastes amazing when paprika, onion and garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper are combined.
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two distinct meat cuts that require different cooking methods.
The muscle that runs along the spine is where the tenderloin originates. It is a very tender muscle because it is not frequently used. It is long, thin, and very lean.
Because it comes from the rib section, pork loin is frequently referred to as a rib roast. It is a large cut that is frequently sold with a substantial fat cap on it and can be purchased with or without bone.
Slice the pork into rounds, then top with the delectable sauce after allowing it to rest for a few minutes. Yum!.
To avoid drying out, pork tenderloin should only be cooked for a brief period of time in a hot oven.
For 20 to 25 minutes, bake pork tenderloin at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of time needed to cook the tenderloins will depend on their size and how long you seared them. Use an instant-read thermometer and take the pork out of the oven when it reaches 145 degrees for the best results.
Adjust Your Expectations if You Use an Air Fryer
These days, air fryers are extremely popular, and for good reason: they make it simple and fast to prepare delicious, nutritious meals. However, there are a few things you should be aware of if you intend to cook your pork tenderloin in an air fryer.
First, compared to roasting it in the oven, cooking pork tenderloin in an air fryer will take less time. Pork should be cooked for 10 minutes per pound on average. Therefore, a 1-pound tenderloin should be cooked for 10 minutes, while a 2-pound roast should be cooked for 20 minutes.
Second, unlike when roasting it in the oven, the pork won’t get the same golden-brown crust. This is because, unlike ovens, which cook food by radiating heat, air fryers cook food by circulating hot air around it. Therefore, it is best to stick to baking pork tenderloin if you want it to be crispy and crunchy.
A Few Top Tips to Help You Perfect Your Pork Tenderloin
Despite being one of the simpler meat cuts to roast, creating a truly exceptional pork tenderloin requires some practice. By reading and applying some of our top advice, you can cut out the learning curve and start impressing your loved ones right away.
Given how lean pork tenderloin is, wrapping it in bacon before cooking is a great way to add fat to the meat and keep it from drying out. Just prepare the pork as usual, roast it, and then wrap it in bacon before cooking. The bacon will flavor the pork and keep it moist, producing a tasty, juicy roast.
Before roasting the pork in the oven, searing it is a fantastic way to add flavor and produce a crispy, golden-brown crust. To do this, simply place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of oil. The pork should be cooked in the hot oil for a few minutes on each side or until it is evenly browned. After that, place the pork on a baking sheet and roast it in the oven as usual.
A simple way to elevate your dish is to rub some flavor into your pork before cooking. Simply combine a few tablespoons of your preferred herbs, spices, and olive oil to make a rub, then rub it all over the pork.
Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme are a few excellent choices. Then, roast the pork as you normally would. The rub will flavor the dish and aid in producing a flavorful, crispy crust.
As the pork cooks, basting it with a flavorful liquid like apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, or even just water will help keep it moist. Simply pour the liquid into a small bowl, and before roasting the pork, brush it all over with it. Then, roast the pork as usual, basting it roughly every 20 minutes.
Even though we’ve said it before, it bears repeating. Always allow the pork to rest for three to five minutes after removing it from the oven before cutting into it. The juices will drain from the meat if you cut into the tenderloin right away, leaving you with a dry, unpleasant medallion of pork. So, just leave it be and trust the process.
Pork tenderloin that has been cooked will keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. As an alternative, you can freeze it in an airtight Ziplock bag for up to 6 months.
Because it comes from the loin of the pig, which is the pig’s upper midsection and a relatively fat-free region, pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat.
No, marinating pork tenderloin will not make it more tender. In fact, it’s not even necessary. Pork tenderloin is already a very tender cut of meat.
Pork loin is a larger, less tender cut of meat that comes from the same area as pork tenderloin, which is a smaller, more tender cut of meat.
Pork chops are smaller, more tender cuts of meat that are typically served with a rib bone, while pork loin is a larger, less tender cut of meat taken from the back of the pig.
What to do with leftover pork tenderloin
This tenderloin makes amazing leftovers. Because it’s simple to unintentionally overcook meat when reheating it, we prefer to serve leftovers cold.
