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Juicy, flavorful, baked pork tenderloin is basted with a garlic and rosemary-infused maple Dijon glaze, for an easy dinner that’s ready in about 30 minutes! Serve the sliced pork with a loaf of crusty bread, cornbread, or biscuits, plus a salad, sauteed spinach, or baked apples to round out the meal.
Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin
You can’t beat a baked pork tenderloin for an easy, quick-prep dinner — and a nice alternative to chicken. Add a seasoning rub that includes garlic powder, onion powder, sage, salt, and pepper, sear it in a skillet to give it great color and flavor, and then finish it off in the oven with a maple Dijon glaze. This restaurant-quality dish tastes fancy enough for company, and comes together fast enough for a busy weeknight!
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an easy pork tenderloin recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Kosher salt, dried sage, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper: come together to create a savory, flavorful rub that seasons the outside of the pork.
- Olive oil: helps brown the meat in the skillet; helps the dry rub adhere to the meat.
- Pork tenderloin: a smaller cut of pork that generally weighs about 1 pound. This is not cut from the same part of the animal as the larger pork loin. Since pork tenderloin is naturally lean and tender, it does well when cooked quickly at high temperatures. By contrast, pork loin lends itself well to slower roasting or grilling techniques.
- Maple syrup: for sweet flavor in the glaze.
- Butter: melts in the skillet and combines with the syrup and mustard to create a rich pan sauce that flavors and bastes the meat.
- Dijon mustard: emulsifies the glaze and adds zesty tang.
- Garlic and fresh rosemary: add these savory ingredients to the skillet to infuse the sauce with great flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: an acidic component that brightens up the dish.
How to Bake Pork Tenderloin
Cooking pork tenderloin requires a quick three-step process that involves seasoning the meat, searing it in a hot cast iron skillet to develop a caramelized crust, and finally baking it in the oven until cooked through. This seared and baked pork tenderloin is the absolute best — with a tender, juicy inside and a crisp, flavorful outside.
- Stir together the seasoning rub.
- Pat the pork dry, drizzle with olive oil, and rub the seasoning blend on all sides.
- Sear the pork in a hot skillet for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Add maple syrup, butter, mustard, garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, and vinegar to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, stirring or whisking to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. These add great flavor to the maple glaze! Cook until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and discard the rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
- Brush about half of the glaze onto the pork.
- Bake, uncovered, in a 400°F oven for 10-13 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140°F – 145°F. Baste with the remaining glaze about halfway through the cooking time.
- Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to Make Pork Tenderloin Juicy
Not overcooking the meat is the key to preventing the pork tenderloin from drying out. Since this particular cut of meat is already very tender and lean, it does best when cooked quickly at a high temperature (by contrast, a tougher, fattier cut like a pork shoulder does best when cooked low and slow). If you roast the tenderloin at a low temperature or for too long, you risk drying out the meat, resulting in a tougher, chewier texture. For a juicy pork tenderloin, you’re looking for a medium finish (about 145°F).
Pork Temperatures
Total baking time will vary depending on the size, thickness, and temperature of your pork. As a result, I always recommend using a meat thermometer to know when your pork is done. The tenderloin is ready to come out of the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-145°F. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests, and you want to make sure that you don’t overcook the meat (because it can become dry).
Anywhere between 140°F and 160°F is fine; however, cooking it more towards medium (145°F) will produce juicier pork. Always rest the meat for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
What color is cooked pork tenderloin?
According to the National Pork Board, it’s perfectly safe to consume medium pork (that’s cooked to about 145°F). At this stage, the pork will have a slight touch of pink in the center and will be at its juiciest!
Pork Tenderloin Sides
Pork recipes go well with any of these easy sides and veggies:
- Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes or 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Charleston Red Rice or Rice Pilaf
- Hush Puppies
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Hoe Cakes
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Southern Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Cornbread with Cake Mix, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Skillet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Easy Potato Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Charleston Red Rice
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Cheese Grits
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Storage
- Prep ahead! The tenderloin can be trimmed of fat and silver skin and rubbed up to 24 hours in advance. Remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before cooking so that the meat has time to come to room temperature.
- Store leftover pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Sliced tenderloin is delicious on sandwiches the next day!
- To reheat baked pork tenderloin: Place the pork on a sheet pan and warm in a 325°F oven just until heated through (about 10-15 minutes). Be careful not to overheat, or the tenderloin will become dry. You can also reheat individual portions of pork in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients and roasting two tenderloins.
- Change up the seasoning. Try different herbs such as rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and chives, or use a different spice rub, such as all-purpose house seasoning, a BBQ rub, paprika, cumin, chili powder, or any other seasonings that you enjoy.
- Add a hint of extra sweetness by mixing some brown sugar into the seasoning.
- Make it spicy by adding cayenne.
Tips for the Best Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- The total baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your pork, on the temperature of your pork when it goes into the oven, and on your individual oven. As a result, a meat thermometer is the best way to know exactly when your pork is done.
- Finish the tenderloin under the broiler if you like a crispier, more charred exterior on the meat.
- Allow the meat to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This gives the juices time to redistribute, keeping the tenderloin as juicy as possible.
- Line the rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, since some of the sugars in the glaze may caramelize or burn in the oven.
- Nutrition facts provided are merely an estimate and assume that all of the glaze is consumed. If you use less glaze, the nutritional data will vary greatly.
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes to Try
- Garlic and Rosemary Baked Pork Tenderloin
- Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts
- Mustard and Brown Sugar Baked Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
- One Dish Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
- 4-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
- Honey Dijon Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Medallions with Corn, Bacon, and Tomatoes
Baked Pork Tenderloin with Maple Mustard Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, sage, garlic powder, onion, powder, and ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silverskin. Pat the pork dry, rub with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; rub seasoning mixture on all sides of the meat.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add pork; cook until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes total. Transfer to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Place maple syrup, butter, mustard, garlic cloves, rosemary, and vinegar in the same skillet that you used to brown the meat. Bring to a boil, stirring or whisking to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook and stir until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
- Brush about half of the glaze over the pork.
- Transfer the pork to the oven, uncovered, and bake until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the meat registers 140°F – 145°F, about 10-13 minutes. Baste with the remaining glaze about halfway through the cooking time. For a crisp, charred exterior, place the pork under the broiler for the final 1-2 minutes.
- Let the pork rest at room temperature for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients and roasting two tenderloins.
- Change up the seasoning. Try different herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and chives, or use a different spice rub, such as all-purpose house seasoning, a BBQ rub, paprika, cumin, chili powder, or any other seasonings that you enjoy.
- Add a hint of extra sweetness by mixing some brown sugar into the seasoning.
- Make it spicy by adding cayenne.
- The total baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your pork, on the temperature of your pork when it goes into the oven, and on your individual oven. As a result, a meat thermometer is the best way to know exactly when your pork is done.
- Finish the tenderloin under the broiler if you like a crispier, more charred exterior on the meat.
- Allow the meat to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This gives the juices time to redistribute, keeping the tenderloin as juicy as possible.
- Line the rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, since some of the sugars in the glaze may caramelize or burn in the oven.
- Nutrition facts provided are merely an estimate and assume that all of the glaze is consumed. If you use less glaze, the nutritional data will vary greatly.
This is an outstanding recipe and one I’ve made several times during this Fall season. We love pork anyway, but this recipe is truly delicious! Thanks,Blair, for another keeper recipe!
Yay! Thank you, Vickie!