How to cook juicy pork tenderloin in under 30 minutes. Jump to the Simple Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe or read on to see our tips.
We like simple recipes. That’s why this roasted pork recipe is a favorite around here — You need a hot pan, spice rub or herbs and pork tenderloin (also called pork fillet outside the US).
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How to Make the Best Pork Tenderloin in Under 30 Minutes
Pork tenderloin is lean and has almost no fat. So keeping it moist and juicy can be tricky. That is, unless you know these steps for juicy roasted pork tenderloin.
WATCH: We’ve also shared these tips in our Perfect Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe Video. The video shows you how we make our pork tenderloin with apples and onions. It’s delicious!
You really don’t need a specific recipe for this, only the steps for cooking it best. The flavors are up to you — we’ve given a few suggestions below.
Step 1: Season
Pat the pork dry — meat that is not dry won’t sear — then season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Sear
Before roasting, we always sear the pork on all sides first. After seasoning, throw it into a hot pan — we love our cast iron skillet for this. Sear all sides until they’re golden brown. It’s at this point that you could add your favorite spices or fresh herbs — adding them after searing keeps them from burning and becoming bitter.
Step 3: Finish in the Oven
Finish cooking the pork in the oven. We keep the oven temperature high and roast the pork for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook pork until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers between 145 and 150 degrees F. That will mean that the pork will be juicy and slightly pink in the middle. If you’re not a fan of the pink, cook a little longer, but be careful not to overdo it.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: In our recipe for Lemon Chicken, we use the same method: Season, sear, and then finish in the oven until cooked through. It makes chicken that’s perfectly cooked and juicy with crispy skin.
Step 4: Make a Quick Pan Sauce
To do this, using the same skillet you cooked the pork in, add about 3/4 cup of liquid. You could use apple cider (that is what we did), wine, chicken stock, vegetable stock or even beef broth. Cook that liquid until reduced by half then add a tablespoon of butter.
You may already have a bunch of half-used spice rubs in your pantry, here are a few suggestions for how to use them in this recipe. Basically, this recipe calls for 3 things: pork, spice rub, and a deglazing liquid for making the pan sauce.
- A spicy rub with pepper, garlic, maybe some chipotle + Apple Cider, Apple Juice or Cranberry Juice
- Chicken Seasoning + Chicken Stock
- Steak Seasoning + Red Wine or Beef Broth
- Rosemary or Thyme Blends + Dry White Wine, Dry Red Wine, Beef Broth or Chicken Stock
Recipe updated, originally posted January 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
30-Minute, Simple Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- PREP
The spice blend you use is up to you, we love using a spicy steak spice blend or fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. We love to serve this pork over polenta or mashed potatoes.
You Will Need
2 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloins (also called pork fillet)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 to 2 tablespoons seasoning blend/rub of your choice, fresh or dried
3/4 cup wine, broth, apple cider or a combination
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions
- Prepare Pork
- To Finish
Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Trim each tenderloin of any silver skin (this can be tough when cooked, just use a small sharp knife and slide the blade under and outward to remove it). Pat pork dry with paper towels. Then generously season with salt and pepper.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. You will know when the pan is ready when the oil shimmers.
Add the pork tenderloins and cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned all over. This should take about 2 minutes per side. Scatter the seasoning blend or herbs over the pork.
Roast 10 to 15 minutes or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers between 145 and 150 degrees F.
Transfer pork to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest about 10 minutes.
While pork is resting, place the skillet over medium heat, add apple cider and simmer until reduced by half. Add butter then serve drizzled over pork.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
This turned out PERFECT!!! I did it exactly as the recipe said, it turned out perfect AND it was my first time ever making Pork Tenderloin. Very happy and will be making this again for sure! 🙂
I was really surprised by how fast and great this recipe is! Will make it again for sure
Making this for a second time! Absolutely delicious with the suggested apple cider pan sauce. Served with sautéed spinach and roasted garlic parm. Cauliflower mash.
Very tender and juicy. We make this recipe all of the time. The go to recipe for pork tenderloin.
Simple and delicious! I made it with McCormick’s reduced sodium seasoned salt! Made the sauce with apple juice and a little Wondra slurry! Served it with mashed potatoes and roasted green beans!
This was probably the most tender and delicious piece of meat I have ever cooked! I used a sage rub and used apple juice to make the sauce. It was fabulous!!!
My husband, a very particular eater, flipped over this roast. Tender,juicy,delicious!
Made this tonight! So good! It was a hit with my family:) I added a bit of cornstarch to my sauce, to make it more gravy like. I also added fresh mushrooms to the sauce to kick it up a notch. Yum! Will be making again!
wonderful video. I am going to do that for supper right now. Thank you.
So delish! Definitely a hit with my fam. Super easy! I used chicken broth and beef grill dust for my seasoning. I had to roast mine for about 20min to get it to temp. Looking forward to making it again…thank you for the recipe!