5 Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

How to Buy the Right Pork Tenderloin

Think of a cut of meat that is delightfully flavorful, lean, and healthy, and the first thing that comes to mind is pork tenderloin. For those of you who have a soft corner for pork chops, pork tenderloins are no less delicious. They are super tender and versatile, and are best for quick roasting, grilling, broiling, braising, and sauteing, making them ideal for both, weeknight and weekend dinners.

Pork tenderloin refers to a slender pig muscle that extends along the animal's spine, and is located near the kidneys. This muscle doesn't get much exercise, which makes the tenderloin an extremely tender cut of pork. The meat is dark red in color and turns light brown when cooked.

Pork tenderloin, also known as pork tender or pork fillet, is long, and lean, and is always offered boneless. One of the easiest ways to recognize tenderloin is to search for the cut of meat that is free of intramuscular fat marbling, or the fat layer running along the top called the 'fat cap'.

Pork tenderloin has a mild flavor, and can be seen as a blank canvas offering numerous options to be gussied up with marinades, sauces, and rubs. A pork tenderloin resembles a cylinder that's a foot long and about three inches wide.

The nutritional profile of pork tenderloin, which the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as "extra lean", is comparable to that of skinless chicken breast. This meat is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.

While buying pork tenderloin, be careful to distinguish it from pork loin. These two cuts of pork are very different, even though they share some similarities.

Pork tenderloin comes from the pig's loin, which extends from the animal's hip area to its shoulder, and is long and thin. The cut of meat known as pork loin also comes from the pig's loin muscle, and is longer, thicker, and wider than the tenderloin, and comes specifically from the pig's back, between the back fat and the ribs. While pork tenderloin weighs between one and two pounds, the loin is heavier.

Tenderloin of pork is by nature tender, but loin lacks natural tenderness. The latter, in fact, has to be cooked for a long time to make it soft. While the tenderloin is best cooked quickly over high heat, the ideal way to cook loin is by slow-roasting or grilling it. High heat speeds up the cooking process for tenderloin. However, pork loin should be cooked slowly.

Select a pinkish-red colored pork tenderloin that has a touch of fat marbling. Though pork tenderloins are by and large fatless, a small amount of fat does no harm. It, in fact, adds to the flavor. Avoid pale-colored meat or one that contains dark marks on the fat.

Let's now look at some of the best pork recipes out there.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients-

• 2 pork tenderloins weighing 1 to 1.5 pounds
  
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
  
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dried or fresh seasoning blend/rub of your choice
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 3/4 cup wine, apple cider, broth, or a combination
  

1. Heat your oven to 425 F.
   
2. Remove the silver skin from each tenderloin, by sliding a sharp, small knife under the skin and outward.
   
3. Using paper towels, pat the pork dry. Season with salt and pepper.
   
4. Take a big cast-iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed frying pan that is oven-safe. Pour in one tablespoon of oil and heat it over medium flame. Cook the pork tenderloins in the pan, turning them occasionally, for around two minutes per side until they turn brown all over.
   
5. Sprinkle the herbs or seasoning mixture over the tenderloins.
   
6. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 to 150 F is registered. To get an accurate temperature reading, insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
   
7. Finish by transferring the pork to a big platter and wrapping it in aluminum foil. Allow a rest period of around 10 minutes.
   
8. Put the skillet over medium heat again while the meat rests. Pour in the apple cider and simmer until it reduces by half. Add butter to the apple cider and drizzle the mixture over the meat.
   
9. Your roasted pork tenderloin is ready to serve.

Gluten Free Asian Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients-

• 2 pork tenderloins with a total weight of about 2 pounds
  
• Black pepper
  
• Kosher salt
  
• 1/3 cup organic honey
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons organic gluten free tamari or soy sauce
  
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  
• 2 finely grated or minced garlic cloves
  
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  
• 1 cup gluten free chicken broth
  

1. To make this gluten free Asian glazed pork tenderloin, start off by preheating the oven to 425 F. Add salt and pepper to the tenderloins and place them in a roasting pan.
   
2. Next, combine honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the mixture to the pork tenderloins.
   
3. Pour chicken broth into the roasting pan.
   
4. Roast the meat for 20 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers a temperature of 145 F.
   
5. Take the pork tenderloins out of the pan, wrap them with foil, and let them rest for five minutes. Slice the meat.
   
6. The liquid from the roasting pan may then be strained into a saucepan and brought to a boil. Allow the liquid to reduce until it turns into a sauce.
   
7. Drizzle the tenderloins with the sauce and serve the remaining sauce separately.
   

Healthy Pulled Pork

Ingredients-

• 2.5 pounds of pork tenderloin (about 2 medium-sized cuts)
  
• 1 tablespoon paprika
  
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  

1. Remove the silver skin of the tenderloins. Cut the tenderloins into chunks of five to six inches.
   
2. Whisk the spices and olive oil together in a bowl. The pork should be marinated overnight in spices and olive oil. Use a Ziploc bag for this purpose if possible. Otherwise, put the meat in an instant pot and cover it with the spice/oil marinade. Make sure no area of the pork is left out while applying the marinade.
   
3. Pour the chicken stock on top of the marinated meat. Since you're cooking it in an instant pot, you need to add an additional cup of water or chicken stock, as the instant pot requires more liquid.
   
4. Set the instant pot to 'seal' and pressure cook the meat for 18 minutes.
   
5. After the instant pot has finished cooking the meat, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before attempting a fast release.
   
6. Pull the pork tenderloins apart using a fork or tongs. Let the pulled pork absorb the juices.
   
7. Serve after tossing with barbeque sauce.

Garlic Baked Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients-

• 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
  
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• 4 tablespoons butter, sliced into 4-6 pats
  
• 1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons diced garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
  
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage or 2 tablespoons of Italian herb seasoning blend
  
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Mix garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, sage, and parsley in a bowl. Set the mixture aside.
3. Season meat with pepper and salt.
4. Heat oil in a big pan until it shimmers. Add the pork to the pan, and cook it on all sides till it turns dark golden brown.
5. Then transfer the cooked pork to a baking sheet. Apply the herb mixture to the meat liberally. Add the butter to the meat. Wrap the meat in foil and bake it for about 25 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 F at its thickest, and widest part.
6. When the pork reaches the desired temperature, remove it and let it rest, while tenting it with a foil for five minutes so that the juices are locked in.
7. Cut against the grain and serve right away.
8. Leftovers should be placed in an airtight box and refrigerated for no longer than three days. If you wish to store them longer, place the leftovers in a plastic bag or plastic wrap and store them in the freezer. They can be stored for up to three months. Thaw the meat naturally in the fridge overnight when you're ready to eat them.
   

Pork Meatballs with Broccolini Rice

Ingredients-

• 10 ounces of pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 1.5 cups shiitake mushroom caps, weighing around 4 ounces
  
• 6 tablespoons whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
  
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
• 1 bunch finely chopped broccolini
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (divided)
  
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock (divided)
  
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar (divided)
  
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
  
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
  
• 2 packages of precooked brown rice (8.8 ounces)
  

1. Take a food processor and put the pork tenderloin and mushrooms in it. Pulse the two ingredients for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are chopped finely. Then take a bowl and put the pork-mushroom mixture in it.
   
2. Add panko, egg, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir well to combine.
   
3. The next step is to divide the pork mixture and shape it into 24 pork meatballs, each measuring around 1 tablespoon.
   
4. In a big skillet, add 1.5 teaspoons of oil and heat over medium-high flame.
   
5. Add the broccolini and cook for a couple of minutes. Set aside the sauteed Broccolini.
   
6. Pour the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
   
7. Add the meatballs and cook for five minutes, flipping them over from time to time so that all the sides turn brown.
   
8. After that, take a bowl and put 3/4 cup of chicken stock, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, Sriracha, and soy sauce in it. Combine the ingredients, and put them in the pan.
   
9. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and let the ingredients simmer for three minutes, or till the meatballs are done.
   
10. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock, and stir it into the meatball mixture. Cook for a minute or until the sauce thickens.
    
11. Heat the rice as directed on the packaging.
    
12. Stir the rice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar into the sauteed broccolini. Serve with the pork meatball mixture.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

The first thing to do before cooking pork tenderloins is to remove the silver skin. This membrane does not tenderize as the pork cooks and can lead to chewy bites.

Pork tenderloins should be marinated for 12 to 24 hours. Since they don't contain much fat to keep them moist and juicy, marinades are necessary. It's better to use quick cooking techniques for this cut, such as searing in a cast-iron skillet or cooking over a high flame on a grill. For stir-fry recipes, the tenderloins can be sliced into smaller pieces.

Although pork tenderloins are exceptionally tender, if they are overcooked, they tend to taste dry.

Remember to keep fresh pork tenderloins in the refrigerator for two or three days before they are cooked. You should not wait for too long to cook the tenderloins after buying them. If they are to be stored for more than three days, they must be put in the freezer. Pork tenderloins can safely be stored in the freezer for a period of up to six months. Prior to cooking, let the pork tenderloin thaw in the refrigerator for around 12 to 14 hours.

Pork tenderloin is mild-flavored meat. However, the flavor can be enhanced by a herb or spice rub or a quick marinade. A blend of cumin and chili powder, pungent minced garlic and ginger rub, or a Chinese five-spice mixture can be used to give the tenderloin the necessary zest.

Leave pork tenderloins at room temperature for around half an hour before cooking. Don't cook them directly from the refrigerator. The meat will cook more evenly if you give it some time to warm up.

Always use a super-hot skillet if you want a seared crust. It is this seared crust that makes roasted pork tenderloins so mouth-watering. Before using it, preheat the skillet by putting it in the oven for 10-20 minutes.

Pork tenderloins give you easy 30-minute meals. And if you are looking for a mouth-watering side dish to go with it, you could opt for roasted garlic-parmesan fingerling potatoes, fig and arugula salad, chopped Brussels sprout salad, roasted garlic cauliflower, lemon pea salad, and heirloom tomato salad with rosemary.

While cooking, the core of a pork tenderloin may appear pink, but a thermometer reading of 145 F indicates that the meat is completely cooked. This is essentially the minimum internal temperature that pork needs to be cooked to for ensuring Food Safety. A Grill Thermometer can help accurately measure the temperature of the meat as it cooks.

Pork tenderloin is healthy, low carb meat, and if you have been searching for lean and healthy animal protein among fish and Chicken Recipes, pork tenderloin gives you an excellent alternative. It carries the American Heart Association's 'Heart Check' mark, which indicates that this meat is easy on your heart.

Isn't it wonderful that you can have both, great taste and good health in a single meal!