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!
You know that I’m all about the dump-and-bake dinners, right?! Well this is essentially a dump-and-bake pork tenderloin marinade —Â that you can either throw on the grill or pop in the oven when you need a quick dinner.
Let me tell you: my husband is a bit of a snob when it comes to grilled meat and pork. Admittedly, he is the resident expert in those areas. He is always in charge of the grill, he loves to smoke a big pork butt, and he is incredibly discerning when it comes to the taste and quality of the finished product. He does not throw around compliments lightly!
So imagine my pleasant surprise when I served this pork on a recent Tuesday night and Keith devoured every last bite. That’s the true definition of success, in my opinion! He repeatedly raved about the taste, and was so happy to see juicy, tender pork on the weeknight dinner menu!
The key to this dish is the Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade. It’s made by whisking together just a few basic ingredients, but the flavor is incredibly good. You just can’t go wrong with a sweet-and-savory blend and plenty of fresh herbs!
If it’s still cold where you live, then this dinner can easily be prepared in the oven. You can see those directions in the recipe below!
But if you have an indoor grill pan or an available outdoor grill, I highly recommend that method. The smoky char that forms from the sugars in the honey is soooooo tasty!
We love to serve the pork with rice and either a salad or green veggie on the side, but I will warn you: if there are big appetites in your house, you should definitely double the recipe and make two batches of the pork tenderloin marinade. This tender, juicy, and flavorful tenderloin is not your average tough, dried-out stereotype! It disappears fast, and leftovers are always a good thing…
Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade
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
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place pork in a large zip-top plastic bag. Pour half of the marinade over the pork and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pork in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Rotate the pork occasionally so that the marinade touches all sides.
- Set aside the remaining ½ of the marinade in a separate bowl, cover, and refrigerate for later.
- To cook the tenderloin in the oven:
- Remove pork from the marinade and place in a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Discard bag with the marinade. Allow pork to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove cover, brush with reserved marinade, and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes (or until a crispy crust forms on top), and pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
- Remove from oven and allow pork to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with any remaining refrigerated marinade.
- To cook the tenderloin on the grill:
- Remove pork from the marinade and allow to come to room temperature while you heat the grill. Discard bag with the marinade.
- Heat the grill to medium heat. Place pork on the grill and cover. Cook for about 12-14 minutes, turning every few minutes, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
- Allow pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved marinade from the refrigerator.
Cooking for Two? A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat. While I say that the recipe serves 4, I also made a note above to suggest that big appetites will want to double the recipe. A 1-lb. tenderloin might be just right for the two adults in your house, so I would suggest following the recipe exactly! And as I mentioned above, leftovers reheat perfectly for sandwiches or salads the next day!
Want to Prep Ahead? You can marinate the pork in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, so this is a great option to put together the night before.
As always, this looks incredible Blair! I am always looking for meat dishes to make when we have company and I think I’ll have to make this next time!
It’s totally perfect for company, Kristy! Thanks so much!
I love this merinade! I didn’t have honey so I used maple syrup instead and it came out wonderfully. Going to try it on chicken thighs tonight!
That’s awesome, Jamie! I bet it will be delicious on the chicken thighs, too!
What a gorgeous marinade, Blair! I love that honey garlic dijon combo over pork. My husband is always asking for more pork, so this gives me the perfect excuse to make it. And dump and bake dishes are the best!
Oh good, Gayle! I hope that you and your husband love it!
i made a pork loin last week. Should saved it for this! love dijon. Just sooooo good in everything
I’m with you — I feel like I use Dijon in about half of my recipes! Such great flavor and always adds a nice texture, too!
I love pork tenderloin but I don’t make it nearly enough – your marinade sounds amazing! I’ve definitely got to make this for dinner soon 🙂
Hi, Rachel! That marinade is so darn good! I hope that you get to try it!
Blair, I am not into pork but this looks so delicious!! I might try this marinade with chicken!!
Yesss! This would work so well with chicken too, Ami! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this on shrimp and chicken. Will this work on fish filet like catfish ot tilapia? I always look forward each week reading your posts.
Hi, Cynthia! Thank you so much for your sweet note. I’m really glad that you enjoy the posts! 🙂
And yes — I love the idea of using this marinade on seafood. I bet it would be AWESOME on grilled shrimp! I need to try that…
Blair, this marinade looks killer good! Love how moist and delicious your pork tenderloin is. Perfect midweek meal.
Thanks, Bobbi! It’s such a great marinade — now I want to slather it on everything! 🙂
Not sure why you refer to pork tenderloins as “dry” or “tough”. I’ve cooked many, many of these over the years, in the oven, on the grill, on top of the stove, in liquid, not in liquid, never marinated any of them and never had a single one come out dry or tough.
Hey, Brian! That’s great that you’ve had a lot of success with pork tenderloin! It’s a leaner cut of meat, so it’s easier to dry out than other types of pork (like a pork shoulder/pork butt). With the right cooking method, though, I agree — it’s juicy, tender, and delicious!
I agree with Brian, I was concerned you might have referred to pork loin and not pork tenderloin, which in my mind is almost impossible to screw up. Could you confirm that you mean tenderloin?
Hey, Max! I used a pork tenderloin, but you can use any pork that you prefer! The marinade works with pork loin as well. 🙂
Hi Blair, I am new to your site and went shopping today based on your recipes! With this pork recipe, do you think I could make double & freeze half for later? Thank you, Laura
Hi, Laura! I’m so glad that you found the blog! Welcome! 🙂
You know what? I think this would be a great freezer meal. I would prepare the marinade, put the pork in a ziplock bag, and then add the marinade to the bag. Seal the bag tightly and squeeze as much air as you can out of the bag. Place the raw pork with the marinade in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to cook the pork, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight first. Then cook the thawed pork according to the rest of the recipe instructions.
Enjoy!
This recipe was fantastic! Grilled it to get some nice grill marks and finished it off in the oven! Thanks so much for sharing!
That’s great! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Do u have to put it in the broiler? Is there extra oven time ? To finish cooking?
Hi, Brittany! Putting it under the broiler during the final few minutes gives it a great crusty exterior. If you want to skip that step, it’s no problem — just bake the tenderloin in the oven for about 25-35 minutes (depending on the size of your pork) until it reaches an internal temp of 140 degrees. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi! Found your recipe and tried it for my family today. My picky children, who usually turn noses up at pork, asked for more servings. Thank you so much!
Hi, Melanie! I’m so glad that your kids enjoyed the pork! Isn’t that the biggest feeling of accomplishment when you can get them to eat something new and delicious? 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Can I marinade slice and then grill w this recipe???
Hi, Kevin! Yes, that should work fine! 🙂
Made this today and it was quick easy and to die for. Put it on the grill and couldn’t stop eating it. I had no garlic, but I had a garlic spread made with chick peas and used that. Will definitely be making again.
That’s great, Rhonda! Thanks for letting me know! I agree that it’s incredibly easy and tasty. 🙂 Your garlic spread sounds delicious, too! Great substitute!
Hi Blair in cooking a 2.75 lb pork roast on a gas grill..how long and should I put it directly on the grate..already marinating
Hi, Linda! Since I am by no means a grilling “expert,” I looked at the Weber website to see what they suggest. Here’s what I found:
– Use the indirect method for larger cuts of meat like roasts, whole poultry, bone-in poultry pieces, whole fish, and thicker cuts of meat.
– Instructions for a 3-lb. roast, so you might reduce the time slightly: Place roast, fat side up, on grill for indirect cooking. Cover grill; cook 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast reads 160°F. Let roast stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Hope that helps!
Thank you for this amazing marinade recipe! Both my husband and I reacted to it with, “Wow, this is so good!” Definitely going to make this again to knock the socks off future dinner guests.
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you loved it, Angie! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
This was fabulous! I marinated the pork tenderloin over night – so 24 hours – and I added more soy sauce.
The pork was amazing! Thank you for the recipe.
Sounds perfect, Natalie! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Hi Blair, I just came out of my food coma! Your marinade is a big hit at my house. I used it on a 3.5lb whole pork loin, marinated it for 24 hours after brining for 48hrs. Grilled it to 145 degrees, tented for 15 minutes, and then pork heaven! Many thanks!
Hi, Vince! That sounds AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for letting me know, and I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Now I’m craving a grilled pork loin… 🙂
Made this last night and it was so amazing! We basted the pork while grilling with the marinade and it formed such a sweet savory bark on it! We make a lot of pork tenderloin and this was a welcome addition to our recipes. Thank you!
Excellent! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Meghan! I love that sweet, crispy exterior! The best. 🙂
This sounds delicious! I used a little less honey, and a little less dijon. I love dijon but my husband isn’t as crazy about it as I am. I added a bit more garlic. It is marinading as we speak! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Hope you enjoyed it, Jazz!
Hi Blair, we do not care for rosemary, if I leave it out, will it make a big difference? Also, I always leave mine in oven longer, I worry it will not be cooked enough to be safe. Help!
Hi, Kathy! You can definitely leave out the rosemary — it will still be delicious. 🙂
Do you have a meat thermometer? That’s really the best way to tell if the pork is cooked to a safe temperature. You want it at about 140 degrees, and it will continue to cook a bit more as it rests on the counter for 10 minutes. The actual amount of time necessary to reach the desired doneness depends on many different factors, including your individual oven, the temperature of your meat when it goes in the oven, and the size of the tenderloin that you’re using. The time that I have given is just a good starting point or ballpark, but definitely check your meat to make sure that it’s cooked to your liking…it might take longer. 🙂
Enjoy!
I am sure this recipe is good. I make something similar. I press 2-3 cloves of garlic inside the pork. I top the tenderloin with Dijon mustard, Beef Bovril and then top with some pepper and dried rosemary. It is very good. I serve with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I will certainly try your version.
Diane – Ottawa Ontario Canada
Hi, Diane! Your recipe sounds amazing, too! Love the idea of tucking the garlic inside the pork. I need to give it a try! Thanks so much for sharing your delicious idea. 🙂
Hi! Do you think I could substitute the honey with agave instead??
Hi, Mikaela! Yes, I think the agave should work fine as a substitute. I haven’t tried it myself, though, so let me know if you give it a shot! 🙂
Just grilled mine…. yummy!!! Will definitely use this marinade again and again and again !!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Debi!
This marinade was awesome! I used more soy sauce, added a little sesame oil, and added a little parsley too. We also slice the pork tenderloin into 1.5″ medallions for grilling. If you do that, the pork cooks evenly, more quickly, and has more surface area for soaking up flavor. I can’t wait to make this again. This marinade is definitely a keeper!
Awesome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Tiff! Thanks for those tips about grilling the medallions. Sounds delish! 🙂
Hi, I was going to cut a pork loin into thick chops and grill. Have you done that with this marinade?
Hi, Kathryn! No, I haven’t tried that with this marinade, but I’m sure it will be delicious!
Very nice recipe, we live in a marina and had a lot of people stopping by our boat asking what smelled so delicious.
I did substitute the soy with Worcestershire sauce, added some garlic salt with parsley flakes ,onion powder and about a tablespoon of light brown sugar then grilled both 1lb tenderloins for 15 minutes and rented them with aluminum foil for 10 minutes, they had a wonderful crusty exterior that was amazing!!!!
One question,what blend of honey do you use, I’m sure there’s not a huge difference but I use orange blossom honey.
Very nice recipe, we live in a marina and had a lot of people stopping by our boat asking what smelled so delicious.
I did substitute the soy with Worcestershire sauce, added some garlic salt with parsley flakes ,onion powder and about a tablespoon of light brown sugar then grilled both 1lb tenderloins for 15 minutes and tented them with aluminum foil for 10 minutes, they had a wonderful crusty exterior that was amazing!!!!
One question,what blend of honey do you use, I’m sure there’s not a huge difference but I use orange blossom honey.
Thanks, Paul! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe (and that your neighbors enjoyed the aroma)! 🙂
I use a variety of different honey, depending on what’s in my cabinet at the time. I’ve definitely used orange blossom honey, but I have also used local honey that I pick up at the farmer’s market or even just basic store-bought clover honey.
Thanks, Paul! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe (and that your neighbors enjoyed the aroma)!
I have used a variety of different honeys, depending on what’s in my pantry at the time. Sometimes it’s orange blossom, sometimes it’s something local from the market, and other times it’s just basic store-bought clover honey. 🙂
So good!! Made it last night after, let it marinade for 48 hrs… Incredible, perfectly cooked off the bbq.