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You need just a handful of ingredients to make this easy Baked Pork Tenderloin! Pork tenderloin in the oven comes together in 40 minutes for a flavorful, juicy pork dinner you will crave making again. With tips on how to trim the pork, even beginners can make this dish restaurant-quality!
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Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin
One of my favorite cuts of pork is tenderloin, and every time I prepare it it brings back such fond memories! I first tried roasting pork tenderloin for a dinner party with friends just when I was starting to experiment more with cooking.
At the time, I was so worried it wouldn't turn out. Either I'd get the timing wrong and it would be under-cooked, or worse, it would be over-cooked and dry!
To my surprise (and relief), my oven baked pork tenderloin was not only perfectly cooked, but so tender and juicy. Now, I make it all of the time - especially with my honey garlic glaze!
I recommend you give this recipe a try, especially if you're worried about over- or under-cooking it like I was. It's quick and simple, but so filling, and best of all, it's easy and goes with everything!
Roast Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
- apple cider vinegar
- soy sauce
- honey
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt
- black pepper
- pork tenderloin
- olive oil
- garlic
My baked pork tenderloin recipe comes with its own seasoning and sauce, but to mix things up, you can also use my Pork Seasoning, Pork Rub Recipe, or Pork Tenderloin Rub! It's delicious with this dijon sauce or pork gravy, too.
How to Trim Pork Tenderloin
- With your pork tenderloin resting on the cutting board, start by cutting the skin away from the meat enough to lift it with your fingers.
- While holding the skin with one hand, use your opposite hand to work the knife along the meat to carefully cut away the skin.
- After removing the skin, check for any large pieces of fat or sinew to cut away from the meat.
One side of your pork tenderloin will have white filmy skin - this is the silver skin. Leaving it on results in tough and chewy pork, so you will want to remove it. Luckily, this is easy to do following the above instructions.
Use a boning knife for best results; but, any sharp knife you can handle easily will work for trimming pork tenderloin.
Tips for Trimming Pork Tenderloin
- Keep the knife tilted upwards slightly to cut only the skin and not the meat.
- Make sure to always cut away from yourself.
How to Cook a Pork Tenderloin
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and honey to a bowl and mix. Once thoroughly combined, set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the pork on all sides. Pat it down with your hands so it sticks to the meat.
- Add oil to a large cast-iron skillet and set it over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add pork.
- Sear until golden-brown on all sides, approx. 3-5 minutes per side.
- Add minced garlic to the skillet with the pork. Cook until lightly browned, approx. 2 minutes.
- Pour reserved sauce over the pork in the skillet. Use a spoon to drizzle the sauce over the pork.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Place skillet with the remaining sauce back on the stove over medium heat and simmer to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove skillet from the heat. Slice the pork against the grain, then add it back with the sauce in the skillet.
- Stir the pork to coat it completely in the sauce. Use a spoon to drizzle sauce over the top of the pork.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipes Tips
- Use an oven-safe skillet you can easily transfer from stove-top to the oven for this recipe. A cast iron skillet works best.
- If your pork tenderloin is too large to fit in the pan, cut it in half so all parts cook evenly.
- Before cooking, allow the tenderloin to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover it and leave it on the counter to allow it to reach room temperature.
- For best results, sear the pork on all sides, including the tips. A nice even browning will give you the most delicious oven pork tenderloin.
- Let the meat rest before you slice it! 5-15 minutes works best.
- Always slice against the grain.
How Much Pork Tenderloin Per Person
| Amount of People | Weight of Pork Tenderloin Needed |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 pound |
| 4 | 2 pounds |
| 6 | 3 pounds |
| 8 | 4 pounds |
| 10 | 5 pounds |
Account for at least ½ pound of pork tenderloin per person. 1-pound pork tenderloin is a perfect amount for 2 people. For a family of 4, opt for 2 pounds.
Pork tenderloin tends to be sold at a weight of 1 to 1.5 pounds, while pork loin is a larger cut and can be boneless or bone-in. If you're serving a large group, you may want to purchase a pork loin. The same cooking method shown in this recipe can be used to cook a boneless pork loin.
If you're cooking a larger roast, the pork may cook too much on the outside before it finishes cooking internally. I recommend using a roasting pan with a rack to cook a large pork loin and cook it for 15 minutes at 400°F to sear it, then lower the temperature to 350°F and cook for 25 minutes per pound.
Baking Pork Tenderloin FAQ
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are commonly referred to interchangeably, but are actually different cuts of pork. Pork tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless cut of pork that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone.
A pork loin is a wider and flatter cut from the back of the pork. It can be boneless or bone-in.
Cook pork tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F. Generally speaking, 15 minutes in the oven at 350°F will cook a 2 lb. pork tenderloin through with the additional searing time on the stove, but all ovens are different, so always use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of pork.
Your oven may vary, but at 350°F, you should cook pork tenderloin for at least 15 minutes for a 2 pound tenderloin. Check with a meat thermometer to make sure your pork reaches 145°F internally.
Pork Tenderloin Recipes
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- See all my Pork Tenderloin Recipes!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Try more of my best pork recipes, and leave a comment and rating below! We love to hear from you.
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Baked Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
- Oven-safe skillet
- 2 Small bowls
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pound pork tenderloin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic very finely chopped or minced garlic
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and honey to a bowl and mix. Once thoroughly combined, set aside.2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, ½ cup honey
- In a separate bowl, add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the pork on all sides. Pat it down with your hands so it sticks to the meat.2 pound pork tenderloin
- Add oil to a large cast-iron skillet and set it over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add pork and sear until golden-brown on all sides, approx. 3-5 minutes per side.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add minced garlic to the skillet with the pork. Cook until lightly browned, approx. 2 minutes.3 cloves garlic very finely chopped
- Pour reserved sauce over the pork in the skillet. Use a spoon to drizzle the sauce over the pork.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Place skillet with the remaining sauce back on the stove over medium heat and simmer to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove skillet from the heat. Slice the pork against the grain, then add it back with the sauce in the skillet.
- Stir the pork to coat it completely in the sauce. Use a spoon to drizzle sauce over the top of the pork.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If your pork tenderloin is on the larger side, don't try to force it to fit in the skillet. Cut it in half so all parts cook evenly.
- Before cooking, allow your pork to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover it and leave it on the counter to allow it to reach room temperature.
- For best results, make sure to sear the pork on all sides - including the tips. A nice even browning will give you the most delicious oven pork tenderloin.
- Let the meat rest before you slice it! 5-15 minutes works best. Always slice against the grain.
- With your pork tenderloin resting on the cutting board, start by cutting the skin away from the meat enough to lift it with your fingers.
- While holding the skin with one hand, use your opposite hand to work the knife along the meat to carefully cut away the skin.
- After removing the skin, check for any large pieces of fat or sinew to cut away from the meat.
Nutrition
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