Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts

A simple BBQ rub seasons tender, juicy and flavorful Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin that cooks in the same cast iron skillet as the crispy, seasoned Brussels sprouts. It’s a quick and easy one pan dinner that’s ready from start to finish in less than 30 minutes!

Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin

This recipe was inspired by a dish that a Louisiana chef submitted to Southern Cast Iron magazine. When I saw the combination of a seared and baked pork tenderloin paired with crispy Brussels sprouts, I knew that I had to recreate the dish using our favorite homemade BBQ rub. The sweet and smoky dry rub in the hot cast iron skillet creates a perfectly-cooked pork tenderloin that’s crispy on the outside, but tender and juicy on the inside. The charred, seasoned sprouts are just an added bonus!

Ingredients for BBQ Baked Pork Tenderloin

Here’s a quick peek at the simple ingredients that you’ll need for this recipe. As always, the full recipe with specific measurements and complete cooking instructions is included in the recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• BBQ Rub: a combination of brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. It’s not spicy, but adds a rich, smoky flavor to the meat. The brown sugar in the dry rub helps the outside of the meat caramelize in the hot skillet, creating a crispy exterior.
• Olive Oil: helps brown the meat and sprouts 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.
• Brussels Sprouts: when slightly charred in the cast iron skillet, the sprouts get crispy, sweet, and unbelievably delicious! If you’re not a sprouts lover, you can certainly omit this ingredient.

How to Bake Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

This recipe 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.

1. Stir together the spices to make the BBQ rub.
2. Season the meat and the Brussels sprouts with olive oil and dry rub.
3. Sear the pork in a hot cast iron skillet for about 4 minutes.
4. Brown the sprouts in the skillet for about 6 minutes.
5. Return the pork to the skillet with the sprouts.
6. Bake the pork and sprouts in a 400° F oven for 5-8 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145° F.

Pork Tenderloin Sides

Serve the oven baked pork tenderloin and crispy Brussels sprouts with any of these easy 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
• Skillet 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 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 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 oven 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.

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!

Tips for the Best Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe

• 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.
• If you don’t care for Brussels sprouts, no problem! Just omit that ingredient from the recipe. Without needing to brown the sprouts, you can transfer the pork in the skillet directly from the stovetop to the oven.
• Barbecue sauce pairs nicely with the dry rub used on the pork. Serve the baked pork with a side of warm barbecue sauce for dipping, if you like.
• The salt and sugar are necessary for seasoning the meat and for encouraging caramelization on the outside. You can adjust the other spices to suit your taste. For instance, substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika, or add a dash of cayenne for a spicy rub.

More Pork Tenderloin Recipes to Try

• Mustard and Brown Sugar Baked Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
• One Dish Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
• 4-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Crispy Brussels Sprouts

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 19 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total: 29 minutes minutes

Servings 2 – 4 people

Calories 238 kcal

A simple BBQ rub seasons tender, juicy and flavorful Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin that cooks in the same cast iron skillet as the crispy, seasoned Brussels sprouts. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin
• ½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (or quartered for larger sprouts)
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder.
• Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silverskin. Pat the pork dry, rub with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the spice rub onto the meat.
• In a medium bowl, stir together Brussels sprouts, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and about 1 tablespoon of the spice rub. Set aside.
• Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove pork from skillet.
• With the skillet still over medium heat, arrange the sprouts cut-side down in the pan. Cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Return pork to the skillet with the sprouts.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145° F. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

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.
• If you don’t care for Brussels sprouts, no problem! Just omit that ingredient from the recipe. Without needing to brown the sprouts, you can transfer the pork in the skillet directly from the stovetop to the oven.
• Barbecue sauce pairs nicely with the dry rub used on the pork. Serve the baked pork with a side of warm barbecue sauce for dipping, if you like.
• The salt and sugar are necessary for seasoning the meat and for encouraging caramelization on the outside. You can adjust the other spices to suit your taste. For instance, substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika, or add a dash of cayenne for a spicy rub.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 26gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 515mgPotassium: 678mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 748IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg

Keyword: baked pork tenderloin, easy pork tenderloin recipe, oven baked pork tenderloin

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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