Say goodbye to dry and flavorless pork tenderloin. With my easy cooking method, you can make the best, juicy, tender pork tenderloin in under 30 minutes.
If you’re tired of dry pork tenderloin, try my easy recipe. It guarantees moist and juicy pork, which you can make with your favorite spice rub.
I love this easy method for cooking pork tenderloin so much that I use it in our recipe for this amazing pork tenderloin with apples and this pork tenderloin with peppers and onions.
Key Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin: I use 1 to 1 ½ pound tenderloins for this recipe (also called pork fillet in the UK). If you notice any tougher silvery skin on the pork, trim it away with a knife.
- Oil, salt, and pepper: Season your pork generously with salt and pepper and use a high-heat cooking oil (I use avocado oil).
- Seasoning: Additional seasoning is optional, but this is a great time for your favorite spice blend. I actually love this steak seasoning for pork.
- Liquid: Once my pork is cooked and resting, I love adding a splash of broth or wine to my skillet to make a quick pan sauce. I do the same when making skillet pork chops.
- Butter: I swirl in a tablespoon of butter to make my pan sauce silky. This is optional but really lovely.
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
My favorite method for cooking pork tenderloin has two parts. It’s the same method I use for my baked pork chops recipe. Here’s what you are going to do:
- Sear the pork on the stove until golden brown on all sides.
- Finish by baking them in the oven.
You’ll begin by removing any tough white or silver areas of the tenderloin and patting your pork tenderloins dry (wet meat won’t sear). Then, season them with salt (hold off on other seasonings for a bit later).
Now add your tenderloins to an oven-safe skillet with some oil over medium heat and cook for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown all over. The pork will still be raw in the middle, but that’s okay. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Now that the pork is nicely seared, add your spice blend or herbs. I add these now because spice blends, especially those with more delicate herbs, can burn when the pork is seared in the hot pan.
To finish cooking the pork, roast it in a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Slide your skillet into a 425°F oven and roast until cooked in the middle.
You can tell when pork tenderloin is cooked when an internal thermometer registers between 145°F and 150°F. At this temperature, the pork may be a little pink in the middle. You can continue to cook the pork, but it will be less moist and juicy in the middle.
For the juiciest pork tenderloin, make a quick pan sauce. To do this, use the same skillet you cooked the pork in and add about 3/4 cup of liquid. I love white wine or broth.
Cook the liquid and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned stuck bits from the bottom of the skillet (there is so much flavor there). When the liquid is reduced by half, swirl in a tablespoon of butter.
What to Serve with Pork Tenderloin
I love serving pork tenderloin with that easy pan sauce over a bed of mashed potatoes. For something a little different, try mashed sweet potatoes or mashed cauliflower.
Adding an extra veggie on the side is lovely, too. I love these roasted green beans and these buttery roasted carrots (both roasted in a 425°F oven like our pork). For a fresh side, try a salad. Toss your favorite salad ingredients together and add one of these easy homemade dressings: homemade balsamic, our easy ranch, and this honey mustard dressing.
Best Juicy Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
For the best, juiciest pork tenderloin, sear the pork on all sides in a skillet before finishing it in the oven. The spice blend you use is up to you (we love using a this steak seasoning or fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme).
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
2 pork tenderloins, 1 to 1 ½-pound each
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
Pan Sauce (optional)3/4 cup white wine, broth, apple cider or a combination
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions
- Cook Pork Tenderloins
1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
2Trim each tenderloin of any tough white or silver skin (this can be tough when cooked). I use a small sharp knife and slide the blade under and outward to remove it.
3Pat pork dry with paper towels. Then, generously season with salt.
4Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed oven-safe frying pan over medium heat.
5Add the pork tenderloins and cook, occasionally turning, until browned all over, about 2 minutes per side. Scatter the seasoning blend or herbs over the pork.
6Roast for 10 to 20 minutes or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers between 145°F and 150°F. Allow the pork to rest out of the oven for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Make Pan Sauce
1While the pork tenderloins are resting, return the skillet to medium heat.
2Add the liquid (wine or broth) and simmer, using a spoon to scrape all the browned stuck bits from the pan, until reduced by half. Add butter, and serve drizzled over the pork.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing pork tenderloin: Leftover pork tenderloin lasts up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze it. To freeze it, wrap it in foil and place it in a freezer bag or container for about a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- When is pork tenderloin done? We cook our pork to 145°F. This means the pork will be barely pink in the middle, safe to eat, and juicy. If you do not like it pink in the middle, cook it a bit longer, but keep in mind that staying close to 145°F will result in the juiciest, most tender piece of meat.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
If I cook only one 1lb tenderloin, about how long should I leave it in the oven?
It should be very similar (our recipe assumes that the tenderloins are around 1 pound each).
For the first time, I used a reduced version of your recipe to cook four thick pork chops. And, for the first time the chops were tender and tasty. Wow. I used avocado oil as you suggested, and my dutch oven to sear the chops and used a meat thermometer. Placed the chops and dutch oven straight to my 425 degree oven. Less splatter on my stove. Thank you. I can tell this recipe will be great on tenderloins.