Roasted pork tenderloin with a savory balsamic glaze looks elegant on the Christmas table and tastes even better. This recipe will steal the holiday show.
Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside! This baked pork tenderloin recipe is packed with amazing flavours. The balsamic vinegar along with the herbs give the pork a fresh but savoury flavour that will have you licking the plate clean.
Pork tenderloin recipes are great choice for holiday dinners. It’s a lean cut of meat but provides enough protein for any eating plan.
The balsamic glaze keeps the tenderloin moist and infused with a rich flavor. This Pork Tenderloin recipe is gluten-free, keto, Whole30 friendly, and low carb. It’s a great way to ensure all your guests can eat the main dish and enjoy the holiday celebration.
What is a pork tenderloin?
In this recipe, we are cooking a pork tenderloin, not the loin. While it sounds confusing, these are two different cuts of meat. A pork loin is wide and thick. It’s basically a giant pork chop.
A pork tenderloin is long, narrow and slightly pink in color. It’s a very delicate muscle that runs along the back of the pig. It’s not used for movement so it never gets tough. It’s one of the most tender cuts of pork you can purchase.
Tenderloins sometimes have a tough silverskin when you buy them. This should be removed before cooking. I use it quite often like for my Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Recipe. Don’t have tenderloin? Try my Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops or my Easy Oven Pork Chop Recipe instead!
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Ingredients for this Pork Tenderloin
- Pork tenderloin roast — for tender juicy pork, make sure you are buying pork tenderloin and not pork loin. Look for a tenderloin that’s pinkish in colour with some marbling in the meat.
- Salt and fresh black pepper
- Olive oil — or an oil of your choice.
- Butter — use ghee if you’re eating Whole30. Make sure you use unsalted butter for this recipe to avoid the pork tenderloin from being too salty.
- Garlic — use freshly minced garlic when possible.
- Balsamic vinegar — pick a balsamic vinegar you enjoy! Some are sweet and fruity while others are more savoury. While you do not have to use the most expensive one, avoid the super cheap ones in a plastic bottle.
- Dried herb mix — I use a combination of basil, Italian seasoning, oregano, and/or thyme. Feel free to use other spices like garlic powder, onion powder or paprika and whatever you have on hand.
- Rosemary — garnish with fresh rosemary.
How to make this roast pork tenderloin
Prepare the equipment to bake the Pork Tenderloin
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Rinse and pat dry pork tenderloin with paper towel, and then season with salt and pepper.
Sear the pork tenderloin
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. Heat for about 1 minute.
- Sear the pork loin on the sides until a brown crust forms. It should be 1 minute on each side. Set aside.
Make the sauce
- Remove the pan from the heat and add butter and garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add all the spices in a small bowl and mix all together. This seasoning blend will add more flavor to the pork roast.
- Add balsamic and all the dried herb mix. Stir the sauce for 1 minute or until the butter is completely melted.
Roast the pork tenderloin
- Spoon some sauce over the pork tenderloin.
- Cover the pork tenderloin with foil and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil, spoon more sauce on top of the pork loin, cover it again with foil and cook for 30 minutes more or until it gets the interior temperature of 145°F.
- Remove from oven, cover it with foil to let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Slice thin and garnish with rosemary. Serve it with roasted potatoes.
What temperature should I cook pork tenderloin?
You will cook your roast pork tenderloin at 350F. It will take about an hour to cook a two pound tenderloin at this temperature. If your tenderloin is a different size, plan for 25-30 minutes of cooking time per pound.
You know that it is completely cooked when the interior temperature is 145F. At that temperature it will be medium rare, but it will continue to cook as it sits for 15 minutes before serving. At the interior temperature of 165F, it will be cooked medium. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check the internal temperature of the pork.
Do you cook it covered or uncovered?
A common problem with cooked pork is shrinkage, especially when baking. This is a sign that the pork is losing moisture to the heat in the oven. After an hour of cooking, the pork could be quite dry.
To prevent this, you can take several precautionary measures:
- Cover your pork tenderloin with foil or a lid. This will preserve the juicy flavor of the meat.
- The salt you use on the pork before baking it will also help seal in the moisture.
- The juices that end up at the bottom of the pan is moisture that the meat has lost during cooking. Half way through the cooking time, baste your meat by spooning this juice back on top of the tenderloin.
The only negative of covering the pork is that it will not develop the brown crust that it would if uncovered in the oven. To solve this problem, I suggest browning it on the stove before putting it in the oven. This step is not necessary, but it does improve the flavor and appearance of the tenderloin.
Tips and notes
- When you sear your pork, make sure you don’t move it around too much on your cast iron. By not moving it, it allows your pork to get that beautiful golden brown sear.
- Patting the pork dry helps give the pork tenderloin a golden crust as well. If the pork is wet going into the pan, it can steam instead of sear.
- I recommend using a cast-iron skillet to make this garlic butter pork tenderloin as it can be transferred from stove top to the oven safely. But if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a baking dish.
How to store leftovers
Leftover pork tenderloin recipe keeps well in the fridge/refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, in an airtight container. When reheating it, be sure to only heat until the pork has heated through as the pork can easily dry out.
Use the leftovers on sandwiches, wraps, hash browns, sautéed veggies, casseroles, salads, soups and pasta.
Sides to serve with this baked pork tenderloin recipe:
More Pork Recipes to try:
- Pork Chops with Apples and Onions: This quick and easy pork chop recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Easy Oven Pork Chop Recipe: Made in less than 20 minutes, these pork chops are perfect for dinner!
- Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops: Juicy, tender, and super-flavourful, you’ll love the garlic butter sauce on the pork.
- Juiciest Baked Pork Tenderloin: Baking pork tenderloin doesn’t get easier than this recipe!
- Watch the Web Stories HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
I definitely consider this baked pork tenderloin recipe to be healthy! It’s keto friendly, low-carb, packed full of protein, gluten free, and even whole 30-friendly. It’s perfect for accommodating lots of different dietary needs.
Cooking pork tenderloin in the oven doesn’t take that long. At 350°F, it will take approximately one hour to roast a 2-pound pork tenderloin. A good rule of thumb is 25-30 minutes per pound.
Tender and juicy pork is totally within your reach! First, it’s super important that you purchase the right cut of meat. Make sure you’re buying pork tenderloin, not pork loin. They are two different cuts, and the former is much juicier. Look for a slightly pink cut with a good amount of marbling. Salt the meat before roasting, cover it with foil while it bakes and baste halfway through. Finally, be sure to let your cooked pork rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing!
To get tender juicy pork, you absolutely want to avoid overcooking it. A food thermometer is the best way to tell if your pork is done. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat for an accurate reading. You can remove your tenderloin from the oven once it reaches 145°F. Keep it covered and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Whether I’m making grilled pork or roasting it in the oven, I tend to use a mixture or dry herbs and seasonings! It’s easy and convenient to rub them all over your tenderloin which adds a ton of flavor. I do like to garnish my pork with fresh herbs for fancy presentation.
Before cooking pork tenderloin, you should remove any silverskin from the cut. This connective tissue on the muscle will appear white or silver in color, and it won’t break down when the meat is cooked. It’s tough and doesn’t taste good, so getting rid of it is essential.
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Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork tenderloin roast
- salt and fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter use ghee for Whole30.
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried herb mix basil, Italian seasoning, oregano and/or thyme
- Garnish with rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and pat dry pork tenderloin, and then season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. Heat for about 1 minute. Sear the pork loin on the sides until a brown crust forms. It should be 1 minute each side. Set aside.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add butter and garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add balsamic and all the dried herb mix. Stir the sauce for 1 minute or until the butter is completely melted.
- Bring the pork tenderloin back to the skillet and spoon some sauce over it.
- Cover the pork tenderloin with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove foil, spoon more sauce on top of the pork loin, over it again with foil and cook for 30 minutes more or until it gets the interior temperature of 145°F.
- Remove from oven, cover it with foil to let it rest for about 15 minutes. Slice thin and garnish with rosemary.
Tips
- Make sure you are buying pork tenderloin and not pork loin as they are two different cuts.
- If your tenderloin has a silverskin on it, remove it from the tenderloin before preparing.
- The best way to check if your pork tenderloin is done is by using an instant-read meat thermometer.
- To store: You can store leftover pork tenderloin in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat: Be careful not to heat it as you reheat the pork as it’ll dry out. You can reheat the tenderloin on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave.
- To freeze: Freeze once cooled in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Tom Coppola says
Not sure what happened here. Followed all the instructions, and kept it in for the required amount of time – 30 minutes at each time. The meat is tender, but the underside is very well done, and the sauce is completely dried out. I used a cast iron skillet.
Olivia says
Did you cooked at the same temperature that the instructions suggested?
Lajoliecookie says
She said she did. Other comments agree. Maybe you just prefer drier pork
Olivia says
No I don’t. I like my pork tenderloin juicy. The time of cooking will depend on how thick the post tenderloin is.
Kim Peuschold says
I too found the times excessive, I had my oven on 375 convection bake as I was baking potatoes too. I checked it at 25 minutes and it was already 155 degrees. I turned the meat and turned the oven off but left it in there for 5 more minutes. I’m wondering if I seared it too long first. It still was delicious.
Lilia says
Super easy!
Thanks.
Olivia says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!