Delicious Oven Pork Tenderloin Recipe (Dinner in 30 Minutes)

Oven pork tenderloin is one of the best tasting meat dishes which will make you feel as if you’re dining in a fancy restaurant but at the same time being quite affordable and super easy to prepare. I can promise that once you’ll get the hang of this dish, you’ll add it to one of your favorite go to dishes to prepare for dinner parties or just for having amazing comfort food any time you feel having something special to eat with minimum effort.
Pork tenderloin goes together well with basically any side dish, but my personal favorite is to have it together with crispy roasted red potatoes.

Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?

Even though the names pork tenderloin and pork loin sound quite familiar, they are actually different cuts of pork. Pork tenderloin is a thin and long boneless piece of pork that requires a lot less cooking time and usually comes in around 1.25 lbs / 550 grams size. Pork loin is bigger and thicker and some cuts even include a bone on it as well. Both of the cuts are delicious but as they require different cooking time and style, be sure to get a pork tenderloin for following this recipe.

How Much Protein is in a Oven Cooked Pork Tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin is an amazing source of protein if you’re chasing for some high protein gains and at the same time staying low in calories. It has ~26 grams of proteins per 0.22 lbs / 100 grams with only 140 calories. This recipe is something to be considered added to anybody’s menu who’s trying to lose weight, achieve their fitness goals or just eating healthy and feeling fresh.

How to Make the Best Oven Cooked Pork Tenderloin?

• Preheat your oven to 400 Fahrenheit / 200 degrees celsius. This step is important as the oven needs to be hot before placing the pork tenderloin into it.
• Take the pork tenderloin out of the fridge 10-20 minutes before cooking. For the best and juiciest result, let the pork tenderloin get to room temperature before starting to work with the meat and starting the next steps to avoid uneven cooking temperatures. This step is not crucial to follow, but will grant the best results if you have the extra time.
• Season the pork tenderloin with herbs and spices: rub the pork tenderloin evenly with a mix of freshly ground salt and pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, smoked paprika powder and any other of your preferred spices. To be honest this recipe is even perfect with just ground salt and pepper, anything else is just extra.
• Get your pan to high heat and get a nice sear of caramelisation on all sides of the pork tenderloin. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, get it to high heat and brown all sides of the pork tenderloin until it has an even caramelisation on it. Extra optional tip is to also add butter to the pan to get an even better caramelisation. Remember that this step is not for cooking the pork, it’s just to get a quick sear on it so it would hold in all the juice and flavors before placing it in the oven.
• Place the pork tenderloin in the preheated oven in a ceramic plate for 20-25 minutes or until 145°(F)/ 63 °(C) internal temperature. 20-25 minutes is usually enough for a regular 1.25 lbs / 550 grams piece of pork tenderloin but can take ~5-10 minutes longer for a bigger piece. If you have a meat thermometer, take the meat out at around ~20 minutes to check the thickest part of the pork tenderloin to see if the temperature is at 145°(F).
• Let the pork tenderloin rest for about 3-5 minutes after cooking. This will ensure that the meat will stay juicier as it will keep more the flavor and moisture inside the meat once you cut into it.
• Cut the meat in even circular pieces and serve with your preferred side dish. For an extra touch, add some fresh chopped parsley on top for the aesthetics.

Delicious Oven Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Oven cooked pork tenderloin recipe that is easy to make and tastes so good it’s hard to have any leftovers. Goes great with crispy red potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 piece of pork tenderloin ~1.25 lbs / 550g
• 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 tsp. of salt
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika powder (or regular paprika powder)
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

Optional

• A knob of butter for browning the pork tenderloin on the pan
• Any of your preferred spices