This is the best baked turkey tenderloin recipe ever! Herbs, garlic, and orange zest are combined with aromatic butter before the meat is baked. It comes out tender, melt-in-your-mouth, so juicy. It’s perfectly spiced, fragrant, and baked to perfection.
Turkey tenderloin is a tender and very lean piece of turkey. Because it’s an underutilized muscle, it’s extremely tender—more so than the main part of the turkey breast! Because it’s extremely lean, the meat lacks flavor, so you’ll need to add plenty of aromatic spices and fat (we’re adding butter that melts slowly to add flavor to the meat) to make it taste amazing.
Is turkey breast and turkey tenderloin the same thing? No, turkey tenderloin is a small portion of the entire bird, skinless and boneless, located beneath the main breast portion.
This recipe provides a detailed guide on how to prepare a flavorful and juicy baked turkey tenderloin.
Key Highlights:
- Tender and flavorful: The turkey tenderloin is a lean cut of meat that becomes incredibly tender and flavorful when cooked with aromatic herb butter.
- Simple ingredients: The recipe calls for readily available ingredients like fresh herbs, garlic, orange zest, and butter.
- Easy to follow: Clear instructions guide you through every step, from preparing the butter to baking and resting the meat.
- Versatile: The recipe offers suggestions for different marinades and serving options to customize the dish to your taste.
Cooking Time:
- 37-42 minutes depending on the size of the tenderloin (37 minutes for 12 oz/350g tenderloin and 42 minutes for 15 oz/425g tenderloin).
Internal Temperature:
- 165°F/74°C is the safe internal temperature for cooked turkey.
Tips:
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate temperature readings and avoid overcooking.
- Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes after cooking to retain its juices and ensure maximum tenderness.
- Serve with your favorite side dishes, such as mashed potatoes, green beans, or roasted vegetables.
Additional Information:
- Recipe source: Everyday Delicious
- Author: Aleksandra
- Published date: April 14, 2021
- Last updated: September 11, 2021
Recipe Link:
https://www.everyday-delicious.com/baked-turkey-tenderloin/
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Recipe Summary:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Prepare the herb garlic orange butter: Mix softened butter with chopped fresh herbs, grated orange zest, and pressed garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the turkey tenderloin: Pour lemon juice over the tenderloin, season with salt and pepper, and spread the herb butter evenly over the meat. Marinate for 1 hour (or longer) if desired.
- Bake for 37-42 minutes, depending on the size of the tenderloin.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy this delicious and easy baked turkey tenderloin recipe!
How to know if the meat is cooked through
To be sure that the meat is cooked through, check its internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat.
Cut the meat in half at the thickest part; it should be white and the juices should run clear if you don’t have a thermometer (which you should, it’s very inexpensive and useful when cooking so many dishes!).
What temp should turkey tenderloin be cooked to? The temperature should be 165°F/74°C. I’m baking my meat to 158°F/70°C and after the resting time, it should come to the safe temperature of 165°F/74°C.
My favorite tool for this is a grill thermometer (the kind with a long cable and a probe inside). You can insert the probe into the meat before baking it, then place it in the oven. The outside thermometer (a thin cable passes through the closed oven door) will show you the internal temperature of the meat in real time, letting you know when to remove it from the oven.
Please bear in mind, that the baking time may vary depending on the oven!
How to cook turkey tenderloin step by step
Step 1: Set the oven’s temperature to 350°F/175°C/Gas Mark 4. If your oven is a convection oven, lower the temperature by roughly 20° or adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
In order to prevent the butter from burning at the bottom and to make a sauce that you can drizzle over your turkey after baking, prepare a baking dish that is slightly larger than your piece of meat.
Step 2: Prepare the herb garlic orange butter. Stir in the grated orange zest, pressed clove garlic, and finely chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
STEP 3: Spread butter over turkey tenderloin: Drizzle the meat with lemon juice, season it on both sides with salt and pepper, and then coat the meat with butter (it won’t adhere to the meat as well as it could because of the lemon juice, but that’s okay; just coat it well on all sides).
If you have time, leave the meat to marinate for 1 hour (or longer, overnight). Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you plan on baking it.
Step 4: Bake the meat for 37 to 42 minutes, depending on its size (12 oz/350g for a tenderloin, and 15 oz/425g for a tenderloin).
Let it rest for 10 minutes then cut into slices and serve. Pour the aromatic butter from the baking dish over the meat.