Big Island Pork Tenderloin with Mojo Glaze

Sharing is caring!

Here it is, folks – your new favorite pork tenderloin recipe. Big Island Pork Tenderloin with Mojo Glaze cooks quickly, stays juicy, and has tons of flavor.

Pork tenderloin is my very favorite pork cut. It’s super tender, and takes on any flavors that your seasonings and pork tenderloin marinade offer. As an added bonus, there’s no bone involved so the entire pork tenderloin can be sliced and devoured.

Big Island Pork Tenderloin with Mojo Glaze Recipe –

Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’….Shall We?? 🙂

We eat a lot of beef around here since we raise cattle. However, since we can’t eat beef every night, I love it when we get to enjoy a good pork tenderloin meal.

One of my favorite pork tenderloin meals is a sheet pan dinner: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes – love the easy clean up, too.

If you’re a lover of Cuban flavors, check out one of my favorite fast-cooking Instant Pot recipes: Instant Pot Cuban Pork Tenderloin with Black Beans and Rice. Oh yeah….delish.

Are you a sauerkraut fan? Give Roast Pork Tenderloin with Bacon Cran-Apple Sauerkraut a whirl. So good you’ll want to roll around in it!

Things to love about this recipe –

1. Flavor out the ying-yang!
2. Pork tenderloins cook super fast.
3. Great leftovers….providing you have any.

Which ingredients do I need to make Big Island Glazed Pork Tenderloin?

• Pork tenderloin
• Olive oil
• Spices: paprika or smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano leaves, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• Mango
• Red onion
• Jalapeno
• Lime juice
• Lime zest
• Cilantro
• Orange juice
• Garlic
• Honey

How to make Big Island Pork Tenderloin with Mojo Glaze in 5 easy steps –

1. Preheat the oven broiler to high. Meanwhile, combine the seasoning rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Place the pork tenderloins onto a foil-covered work surface; drizzle with a bit of olive oil, then rub the prepared spice rub into the pork on all sides.
   
2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; place a cooling rack onto the baking sheet. Spray the cooking rack with nonstick spray then place the seasoned pork tenderloins onto the rack, 2-inches apart from each other.
   
3. Place the pan of pork tenderloins onto the center baking rack; broil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mojo basting sauce ingredients. When the pork tenderloins have cooked for 5 minutes, baste generously with the mojo sauce; broil the pork for 5 more minutes, then baste them once more.
   
4. Flip the tenderloins over, baste with mojo sauce, continuing to cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, basting the pork twice more during that time. Cook the pork tenderloins just until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat registers 140 degrees F. when temped with an instant-read meat thermometer. Remove the tenderloins from the oven and tent with foil, letting the pork rest for 5 minutes so it can relax and raise 5 more degrees in temperature to 145 degrees. (Discard the basting sauce.)
   
5. While the pork tenderloins are cooking, prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. To serve the Big Island Mojo Pork Tenderloin, slice the tenderloins into 1-inch medallions with salsa on the side.
   

Common Questions Asked About This Recipe

Which tools are helpful for making pork tenderloin?

• Any time you are cooking meat or poultry, be sure to use an instant read meat thermometer. It’s easy to use and keeps us from overcooking our proteins. There’s nothing worse than overcooked meat!
• When you’re cooking pork tenderloin, it’s also handy to have a nice long-handled pair of tongs for turning the tenderloins when seasoning or searing.

• For slicing the pork tenderloins into medallions (and for slicing any other type of meat, as well) you’ll want a large cutting board that has a channel around the edge. The channel is where the juices from the meat can gather, keeping them from running off the cutting board and making a mess.

• I use my stainless steel Wusthof chef’s knife for slicing meat, but some cooks prefer a good carving knife since the blade is more narrow.

• When purchasing good quality knives like these, know that it’s a great kitchen investment since if taken care of properly, good knives are a lifetime purchase.

• I know it seems like a lot of cash upfront, but it sure pays off quickly, and you’ll enjoy prep work a whole lot more if you’ve got good knives in your hands.

What is the perfect internal temperature for pork? Is it still 160 degrees F. at the center?

• NOOOO!! The USDA says we can now safely cook all pork just until it’s 140-145 degrees F. at the center. Pork cooked to this temperature will have a slight pink tinge to the meat and that is perfect! No more gray, overcooked, funky pork – hallelujah!

• To be sure your pork is cooked to that perfect 140-145 degree temperature, you’ll need to remove it from the cooking source (grill, oven, grill pan, etc) when the pork has an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees. Then, tent the pork with foil and let it rest.

• During this resting time, the pork will raise 5-10 more degrees in internal temperature, finishing out at that perfect 140-145 degrees F.

Is pork tenderloin the same thing as pork loin? If not, what’s the difference?

• NOPE…. and I’m so very glad you asked this important question! Pork tenderloin and pork loin are cut from totally different parts of the pig. Because their shape and size is quite different, they typically aren’t well suited for being substituted for each other.
  
• Pork tenderloin is the narrow, long muscle that goes down the back of the pig, right along the back bone; because that muscle doesn’t get much use on a pig, it’s super super tender. There are only 2 pork tenderloins on each pig, too.
  
• Pork loin is a large muscle on the pig that is from the back. You can buy an entire pork loin but because it’s really big, it’s usually cut into roasts that are 3-5 lbs. in size.
  
• Once you understand the important difference and characteristics between pork tenderloin and pork loin, you’ll easily be able to tell them apart at a glance! Pork tenderloins are always long and very skinny, only weighing about 1 lb. each. (Though they are typically sold as a pair in a 2 lb. package)
  
• Pork loin on the other hand will be short and chunky in appearance, weighing in anywhere from 3-5 lbs. Also, pork loins are usually a lighter pink in color whereas pork tenderloins are dark red.
  
• As far as cooking goes, pork tenderloin is best suited for cooking at high temperatures more quickly (a whole tenderloin can be roasted to 130-135 degrees F internal temperature in 15-20 minutes) and a pork loin is best seared off on the outside and then cooked low and slow.

Pork Loin vs Pork Tenderloin – What You Need to Know

Important Characteristics of Pork Tenderloin

• Skinny and long piece of pork
• Dark red in color
• Weighs in at only 1 lb.
• Never has a bone
• Very tender because it’s the muscle that runs down along the backbone of the pig, getting very little use
• Other names: pork filet, pork tender
• Texture is lean and delicately flavored.
• Best cooked quickly at a high temperature
• Sometimes you’ll find silver skin on the outside of the pork tenderloin – always trim this off.
• For optimum enjoyment, don’t over cook it! Cook to 130-135 degrees F. internal temperature, then let rest for 5 minutes, tented with foil
• Slice pork tenderloin into medallions to serve. It has such beautiful presentation
• Because pork tenderloin is delicately flavored, it’s delicious served with more strongly flavored sauces, salsas, and chutney

Important Characteristics of Pork Loin

• A large piece of meat, that is short and stocky in appearance (much more round and fat than a pork tenderloin!)
• Light pink in color
• Usually weighs in between 3-5 lbs. (because they are usually sold as a roast)
• Is sold bone-in and boneless both
• Other names: center cut pork loin roast, center cut pork roast, pork center loin roast, pork center cut rib roast, pork loin half rib, and pork loin roast center cut. Whew!
• Tender if cooked properly (low and slow) with a lean texture and mild flavor
• Best cooked low and slow (searing the exterior really adds lots of extra flavor)
• Pork loin is also sold a lot during the holidays because when the back bone is removed and the bones are “frenched” (the ribs are trimmed of the meat) it is called a pork rack. These pork racks are tied into a big circle and then called Crown Roast of Pork – fancy!!
• Pork loin is best sliced across the grain into 3/4-inch slices and served with pan juices or a sauce.

More Favorite Main Dish Recipes to Enjoy –

• QUICK AND HEALTHY SANTA FE CHICKEN
• AIR FRYER BRATS WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS
• INSTANT POT SWEET AND SOUR PORK
• JUICY CAST IRON SKILLET STEAK
• COUNTRY STYLE ASIAN PORK RIBS
• JUICY WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN
• AIR FRYER FROZEN FISH WITH PARMESAN CRUMBLES
• BONELESS COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS {SWEET AND SOUR}

Printable Big Island Mojo Pork Tenderloin Recipe –

Thanks for visiting! I hope you return soon for more yummy recipes for your family.

We love hearing from our readers and followers, so leave us a comment if you’d like.  If you don’t hear back from us shortly, know that we may not have seen your comment.  Feel free to reach out to us by email:  ChefAlli@ChefAlli.com.

Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli

Please Note: We do use referral and affiliate links here for products and services that Chef Alli loves and recommends. I may receive a small compensation when you use these links.  This really helps me keep my recipe blog moving forward.  Thank you so much!