Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin
Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin is tender, delicious, and seasoned simply. A flexible dinner recipe you can make in about 45 minutes.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- Oven Safe Skillet with Lid or 9x13-inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 2 1-pound Pork Tenderloins
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 large Clove Garlic (pressed or minced)
- 1 packet Italian Salad Dressing Mix
Optional
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Season the pork with the black pepper.
- Heat a large oven safe skillet on medium-high, then add the olive oil and the pork tenderloins.
- Sear the pork on all sides, just long enough to get some color.
- Turn down the heat and add the butter and garlic. stir.
- Sprinkle the Italian dressing mix over all sides of the tenderloins.
- Place the lid on the skillet and bake the for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F internal temperature in the largest, thickest part of the tenderloins. When the pork has reached temperature, remove to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest for at about 5 minutes.
- Taste the pan juices and adjust seasoning, if desired. Add the lemon juice, if using.
- Slice the meat against the grain (crossways) into medallions and serve with some of the pan sauce over it.
Notes
No-Sear Method
If you don’t want to sear the pork first:- Season it with the black pepper, Italian dressing packet, and use garlic powder instead of the clove.
- Increase the butter to 3 tablespoons, then place thinly sliced butter pats on top of the meat.
- Bake at 400°F in a 9x13-inch pan (uncovered, so the meat gets some color) about the same time as directed ~25 minutes (depending on size of tenderloins).
Don’t Overcook the Tenderloin
- Pork tenderloin weights - sizes - shapes vary quite a bit. Therefore it is important to use a digital meat thermometer to determine when the pork is fully cooked.
- Pork tenderloin often looks pink in middle, even when fully cooked. Go by the temperature, not the color.
- 145°F internal temperature is when pork tenderloin is fully cooked.
Storage
Refrigerate: Place in an airtight container and keep in fridge for up to 3 days.Freeze: Place in a freezer baggie or wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: If frozen, let thaw overnight in the fridge, then heat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F, wrapped in foil, until hot. Estimated Nutrition Information: Calories: 275 | Protein: 34g | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 380mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g
Nutrition
Calories: 275kcal
