Say goodbye to dry and flavorless pork. With my easy pork tenderloin recipe, it turns out juicy and tender in under 30 minutes.
I’m planting my flag and declaring that this is one of the best ways to cook pork tenderloin. You can use your favorite spice rub, or use our suggestions in the recipe below.
We love this method so much that we use it for our popular pork tenderloin with apples and our pork tenderloin with peppers. It’s foolproof and truly guarantees moist and tender pork every time.
Key Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin: I use 1 to 1 ½ pound tenderloins for this recipe (called pork fillet in the UK). If you notice any tougher silvery skin on the pork, trim it away with a knife. If you have a pork loin, see this roasted pork loin recipe.
- Oil, Salt, and Pepper: Season your tenderloins 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 white 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.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
Tip 1: Trim the tenderloins. Start by removing any tough, white, or silvery areas from the pork tenderloin. Then, pat it completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Wet meat won’t sear, so patting it dry helps it sear beautifully. Season generously with salt before cooking.
Tip 2: Sear until golden brown. Heat a bit of oil in an oven-safe skillet, then add the tenderloins. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. Once the pork is browned all over, add your spices and herbs. By doing this after searing, it keeps them from burning. This is the same method we use for our baked pork chops recipe.
Tip 3: Finish cooking in the oven. Transfer the skillet to a 425°F oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F to 150°F on an instant-read thermometer. This range gives you juicy, tender pork that’s perfectly cooked, even if it’s slightly pink in the center. If you are uncomfortable with a pink center, cook a little longer.
Tip 4: Make a quick pan sauce. After removing the pork, set the skillet back over medium heat and pour in about ¾ cup of liquid (like white wine or chicken broth). Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom (that’s where all the flavor is).
Let the liquid reduce by half, turn off the heat, then swirl in a tablespoon of butter to finish the sauce. A quick and simple trick that I love so much, we use it for our pork chops recipe!
Serving Suggestions
I love serving pork tenderloin with that easy pan sauce spooned over a bed of mashed potatoes. For something a little different, try creamy mashed sweet potatoes or lighter mashed cauliflower.
Adding a simple vegetable side makes dinner feel complete. Try roasted green beans, roasted cabbage, or roasted carrots, which all roast in the same 425°F oven as the pork. For something fresh, toss together a simple salad and finish it with one of our favorite homemade dressings: balsamic vinaigrette, easy ranch, or honey mustard.
Best Juicy Pork Tenderloin
- 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
Pork Tenderloin2 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
1Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
2Prepare the pork: Trim each tenderloin, removing any tough white or silvery skin (it can be chewy once cooked). Use a small, sharp knife to slide under and lift it away. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then generously season with salt.
3Sear the pork: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the tenderloins and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Then, scatter your seasoning blend or herbs over the pork.
4Finish in the oven: Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 145°F to 150°F. Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
5Make the pan sauce: While the pork rests, return the skillet to medium heat. Add ¾ cup wine or broth and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, then stir in a tablespoon of butter. Spoon the sauce over the sliced pork to serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Leftover pork tenderloin will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for longer storage. To freeze, wrap the pork tightly in foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- When is pork tenderloin done? We cook pork tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). At this temperature, the meat will be slightly pink in the center and wonderfully juicy. If you prefer it cooked through with no pink, leave it in the oven a bit longer. Just know that staying close to 145°F gives you the most tender, flavorful results.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
This is the only way I cook pork tenderloin now. After browning it goes in the oven for 5 min. Then rest for 5 or 10 min. Serve with parsnip/potato mash & a fresh salad.
I’m trying this tonight, but I am curious about what you served with the tenderloin. Is that a bed of mashed potatos or cauliflower?
Hi Tony, It is on a bed of mashed potatoes. Mashed cauliflower would be lovely, though.
Well done! We wanted exactly what your recipe provided. Beautifully seared pork tenderloin, medium with a rose blush and juicy as was needed. Next time I’ll back down to your suggested temp of 150. I missed it going up so it came off at 155 and finished at 162 degrees. Awesome but next time 145 degrees. Thanks for the post.
what kind of broth do you use? and do you use white wine and the broth? thx a bunch lore
Chicken broth or veggie broth are great. White wine is good, too. Use a dry white wine.
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.
Thoughts on making this the day before and warming it in a slow cooker the day of?
Hi Diane, This should be fine!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious. Prior to searing, I gave the tenderloins a dusting of Morton’s natures seasoning. Before I roasted them, I used herbes de Provence and cracked pepper. Next time (and there most certainly will be a next time) I will use more liquid for the pan sauce; maybe the cast iron pan I used absorbed some. I served it with smashed Yukon Gold potatoes crisped up under the broiler. A great combo that I will repeat.
A very basic and very perfect recipe. Joanne and Adam promise the tenderloin will be cooked enough but juicy, and that’s exactly what it is.
So happy it worked out well for you, Ed!
More of a (duh) question than a comment. The pics I see the meat is cut long way? I’ve been cutting them in shape of steaks. I’m a little confused.
Made tonight and it was AMAZING! Melt in your mouth tender. I’ve always cooked mine in the crockpot, but I am cooking for only 2 now. So happy to have this new favorite recipe. I added diced potatoes to the broth and put back into oven while the pork rested! It was perfection
Delicious with the wine-butter sauce!
I followed this recipe to a T and it was a success! It came out jucy and tender. I used a cast iron pan for the stove top part and then popped it into the oven. It took about 15 minutes but I used an instant thermometer with a table top alarm so I wouldn’t over cook the tenderloin. Unfortunately, I bought an already seasoned tenderloin and the seasonings that came with the tenderloin did, indeed, burn so my sauce was bitter. I will make this again and again. Thank you Adam.
Made this today. It was easy and so delicious. Especially the sauce. Thank you!
I’m not usually a pork fan, but if I had known it could be this good, I would have been. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme. I also added a little bit of a cornstarch slurry to the pan sauce to thicken it. I almost never comment on recipes online, but I definitely thought this one was worth the time.
I’ve roasted this with bone in… basically where center cut chops come from. Never used herbs B4 tho. Where I come from pork should be Fully cooked. If I were served it I wouldn’t eat it. Something to think about if it’s for other people.
Pork is cooked to well done once it reaches 145F. Technically you should only cook it to 140F. There is whats called carryover cooking, so typically its proteins are cooked 5F less than desired. As its rests, the carryover cooking will continue to cook the protein another 5F. That also allows the juices to redistrubute as its rests to allow the juices to redistrubte throughtout the protein. You could be right though, Im just a humble chef, so if you want overcooked proteins, have at it.
You’ve confused a bone-in pork LOIN with a TENDERLOIN. Pork Tenderloins never have a bone: they are long narrow boneless strips of meat that cook quickly and are awful and tough if overcooked. Times have changed: pink inside is perfect.
This looks so good! Could I cook this for 14 people, easily? Is there any way to cook some of it ahead of time?
Hi Nancy, You can sear each tenderloin individually (or two to a skillet), and then place them onto a baking sheet in a row to finish the roasting. The pork will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I’d reheat in the oven.
This recipe was perfection! The best non-bacon pork I ever tasted, and I am excited to try it again.
This was awesome. I quartered some onions and put them in the skillet while I baked it. I made the sauce with white wine, and it was extremely flavorful over some rice.
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know.
I was glad to find this recipe and video!
Only recipe I ever use 😋