Juicy and tender pork tenderloin. This roasted pork tenderloin has so much flavor! It’s rubbed with dried spices, quickly seared in a pan to brown, glazed before roasting in the oven to keep it juicy and tender. There is even a creamy Dijon mustard sauce to serve it with.
This festive, yet easy pork tenderloin looks so fancy, yet it couldn’t be simpler to make. It turns out juicy and tender every time! Just follow the simple steps below. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
How to make this festive, yet easy pork tenderloin?
Season the tenderloins
I start by preheating the oven to 375°F/190C, and put out a baking tray just large enough for the tenderloins to fit in.
I trim any fat or leftover silver skin (membrane) off the tenderloins. Then I pat the pork tenderloins dry with a paper towel.
In a small bowl, I stir the salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, and cumin to fully combine. Now I sprinkle the spice blend over the tenderloins, and use my hands to massage it into the tenderloins until evenly coated.
Make the glaze
In another bowl, I whisk together a tablespoon of olive oil, the dijon mustard, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce.
Sear the pork tenderloins
In a large skillet, I heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. I sear the tenderloins until they are golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. I am not cooking them through, just searing them to lock in moisture and to bring out more flavor by caramelizing the outside.
Then I place the seared tenderloins onto a baking sheet. I brush the glaze mixture over them, making sure I coat all surfaces.
Roast the pork tenderloins
I roast the pork tenderloins for 15 minutes on one side, then I flip them over, and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. I cook them until they reach an internal temperature of 145–150F/62-65C (using a digital thermometer). Then I take the pork tenderloins out of the oven and transfer them to a cutting board to rest while I make the creamy Dijon mustard sauce with the pan drippings.
Make the creamy Dijon mustard sauce
In the same skillet I used to sear the tenderloins in, I heat up the butter over medium heat. Once melted, I add garlic and sauté it until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then I add the lemon juice, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard. Using a wooden spoon, I scrape up any bits along the bottom of the skillet to incorporate them into the sauce. I let it come up to a gentle simmer, before I add the thyme, salt and pepper. I cook it for another 1-2 minutes, then I taste the sauce if it needs more seasoning. If sauce is too thick, I simply thin out the sauce with one tablespoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached. When I am happy with the thickness and taste of the sauce, I remove it from the heat.
Serve the pork tenderloin
I slice the tenderloins into 1-2-inch/2.5-5cm thick slices and place them on a large platter. Then I spoon the cream Dijon mustard sauce over the slices. I like to serve this juicy and tender pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes (great with some of the creamy sauce!) en crunchy green beans. Simple, yet so delicious!
Tips for baking the juiciest pork tenderloin:
- Sear the pork before you bake it. Taking a few extra minutes to do this step will not only give it a beautiful color, but it also adds flavor and seals in the juices, so it stays more tender.
- Add a little liquid. The glaze – a mixture of olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce – poured over the seared tenderloins before they go into the oven, adds a fantastic flavor and helps keep them juicy.
- Flip over the tenderloins halfway through to evenly roast them.
- Do not overcook the pork tenderloin. As with any lean cut of meat, if it is overcooked, it will be dry. The key is to cook it to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and no more. The pork will be a tiny bit pink in the center, juicy and tender.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure that your meat is perfectly cooked.
- When the pork tenderloins are ready, transfer them to a cutting board. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the fibers of the meat, making the tenderloins juicy all throughout.
- While the meat is resting, you can make the creamy Dijon mustard sauce by deglazing the searing pan with the sauce ingredients.
We all love this oven roasted pork tenderloin. And we hope you do too. It is:
so fancy looking – yet easy to make – tender and juicy – so flavorful – great for weekday meals, but also for festive occasions – INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!
Festive, yet easy pork tenderloin
Equipment
- 1 rimmed baking tray
- 1 meat thermometer (optional, but recommended to see if the meat has reached the proper internal temp.)
Ingredients
Searing the tenderloin
- 2 pork tenderloins (approx. 1½-2 lbs each)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Glaze
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (if you don't like the mustard seeds, you can use regular Dijon mustard)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (or sub honey)
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or sub coconut aminos or tamari)
Creamy Dijon mustard sauce
- 1½ tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (or sub lime juice if you live where no lemons grow..)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or sub (plant based) milk if you prefer)
- 1½ tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (if you don't like the mustard seeds, you can use regular Dijon mustard)
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 0-3 tbsp water (to thin the sauce, only if needed)
Instructions
Searing the tenderloins
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190℃ and trim any fat or leftover membrane/silver skin off the tenderloins. Pat the tenderloins dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, stir to combine salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, and cumin. Sprinkle the spice blend over the tenderloins and use your hands to massage it into the tenderloins until evenly coated. Then set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloins until golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Then place the seared tenderloins onto a baking sheet.
Make the glaze
- In a bowl stir to combine 1 tbsp of olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce.
- Brush the glaze over the tenderloins, coating all surfaces.
- Roast the tenderloins for 15 minutes, then flip them over. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes on the other side, until they reach an internal temperature of 145℉–150°F/ 62-65℃ when checked using a digital thermometer for doneness. Then take the pork out of the oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest while you whip up the pan sauce.
Make the creamy Dijon mustard sauce
- In the same skillet used for searing, heat up the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, heavy cream, and dijon mustard. Use a wooden utensil to scrape up any bits along the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce come up to a gentle simmer, then add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes or so until well incorporated. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached. Then remove it from the heat source.
Serve the roasted pork tenderloin
- Slice the tenderloins into 1-2-inch/ 2.5-5cm thick slices and place them on a large platter. Spoon the pan sauce over the slices. Now it is ready to serve alongside your favorite vegetables and starch. Enjoy!
Notes
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