How to Cook Perfect Pork Tenderloin
Learn How To Cook Perfect Pork Tenderloin that turns out juicy, tender, and cooked to the perfect internal temp every single time.
Oven-roasted pork tenderloin is an easy and budget-friendly cut of pork to make for your hungry family.
Stove top and Oven Pork TENDERLOIN RECIPE
Pork tenderloin has always been my favorite cut of pork because it is so easy to make and it is economical.
Pork tenderloin is great for weeknight meals because it can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes or less!
Save this Recipe
Enter your email address and we will send you this recipe to your mailbox for easy reference! Plus, we will send you our latest recipes every week!
After the pork tenderloin is seared to golden brown, it needs a quick roasting in the oven.
Then cook the pork tenderloin to the perfect temp, and you will have a tender and juicy dish that is packed with lean protein and big flavor.
This recipe has two sets of instructions: a stove-top version finished in the oven and a stove top-only version.
Both versions are finished to the perfect temp for pork tenderloin, 145 degrees.
WHAT TO LOVE
- It’s super economical because pork tenderloin has no bones, you can eat the entire piece of meat.
- Pork tenderloin is a cut of meat that gets little use on the pig so it’s very, very tender.
- Because it’s so versatile, you can cook pork tenderloin in many ways – stove top, oven, or pressure cooker. And it’s delicious on the grill or smoker!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Pork tenderloin (one package contains 2 tenderloins, typically)
- Your favorite steak seasoning
- Olive oil, for searing
How to cook stove top and oven PORK TENDERLOIN
Remove the packaging, separate the tenderloins and place them onto a baking sheet or platter.
Season the tenderloins on all sides with your favorite steak seasoning blend.
I like Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Let the tenderloins rest, uncovered, on the counter for 30 minutes to allow the chill from refrigeration to escape the meat a bit.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil. You may substitute vegetable or canola oil if preferred.
When the oil is nicely hot and sizzling, use tongs to transfer both of the tenderloins to the skillet.
Place the pork tenderloin into the center of the skillet leaving room between each piece of meat.
Sear the tenderloins on all sides until they are deep golden brown, using your tongs to turn them in the skillet.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, placing it on the center oven rack.
Roast the tenderloins, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or just until the internal temperature of the pork at the center is 135 degrees F. when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer.
Don’t overcook the pork!
Remove the skillet from the oven and cover with foil.
Allow the tenderloins to rest on the counter, completely covered, for 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature raises to 140-145 degrees as a fully finished temperature.
Transfer the pork tenderloins to a cutting board and slice them into medallions about 1 inch in thickness. Serve at once!
CAN I COOK THE PORK TENDERLOIN on the stove top INSTEAD OF TRANSFERRING IT TO THE OVEN?
Yes! Once the tenderloin is seared, you can finish cooking it right on your stovetop, if desired.
Turn the heat to medium, cover the skillet; cook the tenderloin for 10-15 minutes, or just until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the skillet to a platter; cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the temperature to rise to 140-145 degrees at the center.
Slice into medallions as desired and serve.
WHAT IS THE PERFECT INTERNAL TEMPERATURE FOR PORK?
The USDA says we can safely cook all pork until it’s 140-145 degrees F. at the center.
Pork cooked to this temperature will have a slight pink tinge to the meat, which 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 rise 5-10 more degrees in internal temperature, finishing out at that perfect 140-145 degrees F.
How long to rest pork tenderloin
I like to tent the pork with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes for juicy and tender pork tenderloin cooked to an internal temp of 145 degrees.
WHY DO YOU SEAR PORK TENDERLOIN BEFORE BAKING IT IN THE OVEN?
Searing the pork tenderloin on all sides first caramelizes the exterior, ensuring two things: lots of extra flavor and a very juicy pork experience.
Please don’t skip the searing step of making pork tenderloin – it’s totally worth it!
What can I make with pork tenderloin?
I love how you can dress it up when you need a meal that’s a little more special – like this Cherry-Pecan Pork Tenderloin Medallions or this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Sauce.
Or if you need a kinda-fancy appetizer check out Pork Tenderloin Crostini.
We also love this Savory Mediterranean Rice that is so simple yet tasty!
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Bacon Cran-Apple Sauerkraut is a favorite skillet meal and so is Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Peach Glaze.
I also love making Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin in under 30 minutes in my pressure cooker.
IS PORK TENDERLOIN THE SAME THING AS PORK LOIN?
NO. 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 backbone; because that muscle doesn’t get much use on a pig, it’s super tender.
Pork loin is a large muscle on the pig 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 differences 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 two 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, 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.
MORE FAVORITE MEAT RECIPES TO ENJOY
- Cranberry Pork Tenderloin in a Skillet
- INSTANT POT BEEF EYE OF ROUND {DELI-STYLE ROAST BEEF}
- BEGINNER SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS {1-2-3 STYLE}
- SAUCY BACON-WRAPPED PORK LOIN ROAST
- HOW TO MAKE BEEF TRI-TIP ROAST WITH CRISPY POTATOES
- LAZY-BUTT BEEF SUBS (SUB SANDWICHES)
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins, 1 lb. each (these typically come two per package from the grocer)
- Olive oil for searing the tenderloins, may substitute vegetable or canola oil
- Your favorite steak seasoning such as Montreal Steak Seasoning
Instructions
- Remove the packaging, then separate the tenderloins and place them onto a baking sheet or platter.
- Season the tenderloins on all sides with your favorite steak seasoning blend – I like Montreal Steak Seasoning. Let the tenderloins rest, uncovered, on the counter for 30 minutes to allow the chill from refrigeration to escape the meat a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large heavy-duty skillet over medium high heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil (may substitute vegetable or canola oil, if preferred). When the oil is nicely hot and sizzling, use tongs to transfer both of the tenderloins to the skillet, placing them into the center of the skillet but leaving room between each piece of meat.
- Sear the tenderloins on all sides until they are deep golden brown, using your tongs to turn them in the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, placing it on the center oven rack. Roast the tenderloins, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or just until the internal temperature of the pork at the center is 135 degrees F. when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer. Don’t over cook the pork!
- Remove the skillet from the oven and cover with foil; allow the tenderloins to rest on the counter, completely covered, for 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature raises to 140-145 degrees as a fully finished temperature.
- Transfer the pork tenderloins to a cutting board and slice into medallions about 1-inch in thickness. Serve at once!
Nutrition
