Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (2024)

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Tender and juicy Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin coatedwith a blend of Italian spices and minced garlic, seared to lock in the flavors and quickly roasted in the oven.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (1)

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite meals to make. I’ve discovered a way to cook the best pork tenderloin that’s juicy, will melt in your mouth, and cooks in just 30 minutes!

Pork tenderloin is usually sold in individual packages in the meat section of the grocery store. Usually there are 2 tenderloins in one package. One tenderloin usually weighs about a pound and is the ideal size if you’re cooking for two. When you cook two tenderloins, you may be lucky enough to have extra for a couple of lunches and at least one dinner or two!

Why This Recipe Works

  • Pork tenderloin iseasy to cook, it’s lean, it tastes great and islovely to serve to guests.
  • One thing I love about pork tenderloins is that they easily lend themselves to a variety of flavors. You can even mix together a few of your favorite spices and create your own flavorful rub.

What Is Pork Tenderloin?

Few other proteins are as tender and juicy asa pork tenderloin. In addition to its fabulous flavor, this meat is incrediblyeasy to cook.

Pork tenderloin is also called pork filet or pork tender. It comes from the muscle that runs alongside the backbone. This boneless cut of meat is very lean and cooks quickly.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (2)

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Pork tenderloin
  • Garlic
  • Dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme black pepper, and salt
  • Olive oil

How To Make This Recipe

  1. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven on a middle rack and heat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).The skillet will heat along with the oven. Remove from the oven and add olive oil to the skillet. Give the pan a swirl so that the oil coats the entire bottom.
  2. Mix together the garlic, basil, oregano, black pepper, salt, and thyme in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the pork and rub the spices in with your fingers. Place the pork in the skillet and using oven mitts, return the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
  3. After 10 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven and using tongs, flip the pork over. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and continue roasting another 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the skillet from the oven.
  5. Transfer the pork to a large plate and cover with foil. Let them rest 15 minutes before serving. The pork is done when its internal temperature registers 145 degrees in the thickest part of the meat.

Expert Tips

  • Season the pork on all sides: Make sure the tenderloin is completely coated with the spices and feel free to experiment with your favorite spices and spice blends. You can even season the pork simply with just salt and pepper.
  • Trim fat if necessary: Most tenderloins are sold already trimmed of fat. If the one you purchase still has a bit of fat left on, remove it with a sharp knife.
  • Be sure to cover the pork before slicing: Letting the pork “rest” for about 15 minutes after cooking is important. It allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat so you are sure to have the juiciest pork possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Look For When Buying Pork Tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin is found in the meat section of the grocery store. The tenderloin is a small cut of pork tenderloin, usually weighing around 1 to 1 ½ pounds, you’ll usually see two in a sealed package.
You might see some tenderloins in a marinade. Personally, I don’t purchase these. I like to season the meat myself, this controls the amount of salt and oil used.

How Do I Freeze Pork Tenderloin?

Raw pork should be wrapped thoroughly and tightly. Use butcher paper or double wrap the pork in plastic wrap and then place in freezer zip topped bags. You might like to consider wrapping the pork in convenient portions, 8-ounces tends to be a good size to serve one or two.

Well wrapped tenderloin will keep well in the freezer for up to six months.

Raw pork should be thawed in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight depending on its size.

How Should I Use Leftover Pork Tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin leftovers are wonderful. If you’d like to make the entire tenderloin follow the same cooking instructions and double the ingredient amounts foreachpork tenderloin.
Consider using leftover pork in sandwiches or mixed in with pasta.

Is Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin The Same?

No, they are quite different. Pork Tenderloin is a boneless cut of meat that runs along the backbone that is long and narrow. A Pork Loin, which comes from the back of the pig, is much larger, being flatter and wider, and can come with or without a bone.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (3)

If you’re looking for a singlePork Tenderloin recipe, you can find that recipe as well as many other single serving recipes by visiting our One Dish Kitchen site.

Enjoy!

Recipe

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

By: Joanie Zisk

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (4)

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Tender and juicy Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin coated with a blend of Italian spices and minced garlic that is seared to lock in the flavors.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs pork tenderloin
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons crushed black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Place the skillet in the oven on a middle rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. The skillet will heat along with the oven.

  • Pat the pork tenderloins dry with a paper towel and set aside. Combine the garlic, basil, oregano, black pepper, salt and thyme in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture onto all sides of each of the pork tenderloins.

  • Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using oven mitts and pour the oil in the pan. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.

  • Place the pork in the pan. (You can bend them to fit inside the pan if they’re a little long). Return the pan to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes.

  • Flip the pork tenderloins over. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting another 15 minutes. The pork is done when it’s internal temperature registers 145 degrees in the thickest part of the meat.

  • Transfer the pork to a large plate and cover with foil. Let them rest 15 minutes before serving.

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Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin | Easy Recipe | ZagLeft (2024)

FAQs

What are the best herbs to use with pork? ›

Great cooking is all about experimenting with flavours. Traditionally, pork pairs best with these herbs and Spices: Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Caraway Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Fennel, Cloves, Garlic and Parsley.

Should you brown a pork tenderloin before baking? ›

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).

How do you cook pork tenderloin so it's not tough? ›

Pork Tenderloin Method: Slow-Roasted

After resting for 10 minutes, the “steaks” were seared in oil to develop a crust, then rested for 5 minutes before slicing. Results: This method proved to be superb — yielding both juicy, very tender slices and also a delicious crust.

Do you cover tenderloin when baking? ›

Bake uncovered 40 to 50 minutes or until thermometer reads at least 140°F. Cover beef with tent of aluminum foil and let stand about 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 145°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°, and beef will be easier to carve.)

What spice brings out the flavor of pork? ›

Some of my favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings to use as a pork chop seasoning are cumin, garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Some others that go well with pork are sage, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, and coriander. Brown sugar and clove are a great way to add in some sweetness.

Which seasoning is best for pork? ›

Some of the best seasonings to pair with pork are salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Some other spices and herbs that pair well with pork are cumin, chili powder, rosemary, black pepper, sage, fennel, ginger and much more!

What makes pork taste better? ›

Consider Brining

While a simple brine of water and salt will do the trick, you can also use the brining stage to impart extra flavor with sugar and seasonings. Just be careful not to brine too long (two to four hours should do the trick) and rinse the pork before cooking.

What spices tenderize pork? ›

Brine the pork.

Brining involves soaking your meat in salt water to increase the tenderness and moistness of the final dish. Brines always contain salt and water, but can also include other ingredients for added flavor like apple cider, brown sugar, rosemary, and thyme.

Do mixed herbs go with pork? ›

Pork is a very mild meat, like chicken, so it goes well with a wide variety of herbs and spices. The blend I used in this recipe is a classic mix of basil, thyme, and rosemary that can be used as an all-purpose meat seasoning (chicken, beef, anything).

What makes pork taste so good? ›

Pork in general is a fatty meat, the most flavorful cuts are rich in fat, the cheaper cuts as a rule, the shoulder, the “butt” the picnic are all good to slow cook and they taste oily or fatty and rich. The loin and tender loin are very lean and will be dry if not cooked properly.

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