Pork Tenderloin with Apples

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5 from 1 vote

Juicy, flavorful, baked pork tenderloin with apples and onions is a simple yet delicious autumn dinner.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin with apples, pork tenderloin with apples and onions cast iron

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Resting Time 5

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 399kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins (about 1-lb. each), trimmed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white wine, apple cider, or chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths (I use Granny Smith or Honey Crisp)
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary

Instructions

Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rosemary and garlic powder.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (about 12-14 inch) oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the pork to the skillet and brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a plate.
Leave the pan over medium-high heat and add the wine to the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter, syrup, apples, onion, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the apples and onions start to soften, about 7-8 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Nestle the tenderloins and any accumulated juices into the apple mixture.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the pork registers 140-145°F, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Stir the cider vinegar into the apple mixture, and then taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Slice the pork into ½-inch thick rounds and serve with the apples.

Notes

A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-3 people (depending on the size of your appetite). This recipe calls for two tenderloins to serve a larger family, but you can certainly use just one if you prefer.
Choose an apple with a firm flesh, such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, or Braeburn, so that the apples don't break down into mush during the cooking process.
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.
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.
Change up the seasoning. Try different herbs such as sage, 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 sweetness directly to the meat by mixing some brown sugar into the seasoning.
Make it spicy by adding cayenne, or give the sauce more zest by stirring in some Dijon mustard.
Swap out the cider vinegar for balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar.
If you don't have an oven-safe large skillet (such as a cast iron pan), no problem! Just transfer the seared tenderloin and apple mixture to a baking dish, and pop it in the oven.

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