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Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade

Name: Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 520 min
Ingredients: 1 pork tenderloin ((about 1 lb.)); ½ cup honey; ½ cup Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons soy sauce ((or substitute with tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free option)); 1 tablespoon minced garlic; Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced (can substitute with about ½ teaspoon dried rosemary); Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced (can substitute with about ½ teaspoon dried thyme); Salt and pepper, to taste

Lasted edited January 13, 2021. Originally published March 27, 2017 by Blair

This humble cut of meat is tender, juicy and full of flavor with a honey, garlic and Dijon pork tenderloin marinade.

Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes

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Pork tenderloin can get a bad rap as the dry, lean, tough alternative to chicken breasts. But that's so not fair! With a simple Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade, this humble cut of meat is elevated to Super Star status! Best of all, the easy dinner only requires 10 minutes of prep before leaving it to marinate in the refrigerator. It's a healthy, make-ahead meal for any busy weeknight!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Marinade

You can't beat the ease of a simple grilled pork tenderloin marinade, which comes together in about 5 minutes and creates the most flavorful, tender and juicy meat. Use the same easy marinade for oven-baked pork tenderloin, pork chops, or chicken, too!

The Difference Between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin

Pork tenderloin, a smaller cut that generally weighs about 1 pound, does not come 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. For more details about these two different cuts of meat, check out this article. Today, we're focused only on the pork tenderloin! This recipe calls for a single tenderloin; however, you can easily scale the ingredients (doubling or tripling the marinade) to cook more than one tenderloin at a time.

Ingredients

Here's a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need for this easy marinade. As always, the specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.

Honey: adds a nice sweetness to the marinade, while the sugars also help to create a nice char on the outside of the meat.
Dijon mustard: works as an emulsifier to bring the marinade ingredients together, and adds a nice "zippy" flavor to the sauce.
Soy sauce: salty, umami flavor that's essential for this delicious pork. I typically use a reduced-sodium variety.
Garlic, salt and pepper: more flavor!
Rosemary and thyme: I prefer fresh herbs when available, but you can also substitute with dried herbs when necessary.

How to Make Pork Tenderloin Marinade

You can season a pork tenderloin with a spice rub, or give the meat plenty of flavor from a quick marinade. This recipe takes advantage of a sweet-and-savory marinade to tenderize the meat, add flavor, and help caramelize the outside (thanks to the honey).

Whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary and thyme.
Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper.
Marinate the pork in half of the marinade, reserving the other half of the marinade for later.
Grill or bake the pork tenderloin until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140° F-145° F.
Let the pork rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving with the reserved marinade.

How Long To Marinate Pork Tenderloin

Marinate the pork for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to soak into the meat, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Yes, it's possible to marinate the tenderloin for too long, since the enzymes in the meat start to break down and the cooked pork can have a mushy texture. Ziploc bags are great for marinating because they don't take up much space in your fridge, but you can also use a regular covered dish.

Pork Tenderloin Sides

Serve the pork tenderloin with any of these delicious sides:

Buttermilk Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
Crusty French Baguette or a loaf of No-Knead Bread
Cowboy Baked Beans
Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese or Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Honey Cornbread or Corn Muffins
Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
Southern Macaroni Salad
Coleslaw
Baked Potato Wedges
Easy Potato Salad
Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Fried Apples
Southern Succotash, Fried Corn or corn on the cob

Preparation and Storage

Prep ahead! The tenderloin can be trimmed and marinated 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 leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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 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.

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 grill or 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 cooking times will vary depending on the size, thickness and temperature of your pork. As a result, I always recommend using a thermometer to know when your meat is done. The tenderloin is ready to come off the grill or 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!

Recipe Variations

Make it spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha hot sauce to the marinade.
Use other fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano or basil.
Add some toasted sesame oil, cilantro, or fresh lime juice to really highlight the soy sauce and give the marinade some Asian flare.

Tips for the Best Pork Tenderloin Marinade

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 cooking two tenderloins.
Prep ahead by stirring together the marinade up to 3 days in advance, and marinating the pork overnight. This makes weeknight dinners quicker and easier!
Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your tenderloin is cooked perfectly every single time.
Enjoy this simple marinade on chicken or pork chops, too!

More Pork Tenderloin Recipes to Try

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