Juicy Pork Tenderloin

This Juicy Pork Tenderloin is another flavorful and easy recipe you can prepare the night before so you can just pop it in the oven the next day!

Perfect, juicy pork tenderloin was almost within my reach a few times in the past. Sadly, I ended up either overcooking the pork or not cooking it enough.

Like chicken breasts, it’s so easy to overcook pork tenderloin. It’s a waste to throw food away so you end up eating it anyway and washing each bite down with a few sips of water. I knew that if I could make perfectly cooked, fool proof chicken breasts in the oven (try my Salt and Pepper Chicken if you haven’t yet), I could do the same with pork tenderloin!

I’m a woman on a mission and, quite frankly, I wanted to have another lean protein to use during our weekly meal preps. I tested this recipe a few times until I finally nailed the perfect temperature, cooking time and resting time.

Here are a few tips that can help you perfectly cook pork tenderloin.

1: Use a meat thermometer

I’m not a fan of a pink center (medium rare at 145F) for pork so I aimed for an internal temperature of 155-160F (medium), which is cooked throughout. A meat thermometer comes in handy so I’m not guessing if the pork is cooked on the inside or not.

This meat thermometer that I use has different temperature settings for different types of meat. I just select what meat I’m cooking and my desired doneness (rare, medium rare, medium, medium well or well done) and insert the probe into the thickest part of the pork to get an accurate internal reading. 

2: Let the pork rest for 20 minutes before slicing 

This is very important. 5 – 10 minutes is not enough time to let the pork rest because it will still be hot when you slice it. The juices will run and you won’t be very happy. 20 minutes seems like a long time, but it’s enough to let the pork cool down a bit to really keep the juices locked in so it’s juicy and tender when you slice it.

3: Don’t  thrown away the juice left on the pan

This is a tip that I’ve used for my Salt and Pepper Chicken recipe that also works for pork tenderloin. Drizzle the leftover juices on top of the meat after slicing for extra flavor! It also keeps the pork from drying out when refrigerated and reheated.

Don’t forget to grab a couple of pork tenderloins on your next trip to the grocery store so you can prep this for dinner the next day!

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Juicy Pork Tenderloin

Course Main Course

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Resting Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt

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• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

To Prep:

1. Place all marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized zip top bag. Stir to mix well.
2. Place the pork tenderloin in the bag. Remove any excess air and seal. Marinate the pork in the fridge overnight.

To Cook:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place the pork tenderloin on top parchment. Discard the excess marinade in the bag.
4. Season the pork tenderloin with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
5. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack in oven.
6. Let it cook for 30-35 minutes, until the internal temperature is 150F.
7. Turn oven on Broil and broil for 5 minutes to brown the top.
8. Remove from the oven and let the pork tenderloin rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
9. Transfer sliced pieces to a serving plate and pour the cooking juices on top.