Baked Pork Tenderloin

This Baked Pork Tenderloin is juicy, tender, and full of savory flavor with a simple Dijon and brown sugar seasoning. It goes straight into the oven with no searing or marinating for an easy, delicious pork dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baked pork, pork tenderloin recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 338kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins about 1–1¼ pounds each, silver skin removed
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter cut into 4 thin slices

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 425°F (218ºC). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Prep the pork. Pat the pork tenderloins (2) thoroughly dry with paper towels. Trim away any silver skin.
Make the Dijon seasoning. In a small bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard (3 tablespoons), olive oil (2 tablespoons), brown sugar (2 tablespoons), sweet paprika (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 1/2 teaspoons), onion powder (1 teaspoon), thyme (1 teaspoon), salt (1 1/2 teaspoons), and black pepper (3/4 teaspoon) until evenly combined.
Season the tenderloins. Place the pork in the prepared baking dish, leaving some space between the tenderloins. Rub the Dijon mixture evenly over all sides of the pork.
Add the butter. Divide the butter pieces (4) evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.
Bake. Bake, uncovered, for 20–30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each tenderloin registers 145°F (63ºC). Begin checking early since cooking time will vary depending on the thickness and weight of the tenderloins.
Rest the pork. Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Finish the pan juices. While the pork rests, stir the melted butter, pork drippings, and seasonings remaining in the baking dish until well combined.
Slice and serve. Cut the pork crosswise into slices and spoon the warm buttery Dijon pan juices over the top.

Notes

Don’t cook by time alone. Pork tenderloins vary in thickness, and ovens vary too. Start checking the internal temperature early and use an instant-read thermometer to determine when your pork is done.
Check the thickest part. Insert your thermometer into the center of the thickest portion of the tenderloin for the most accurate reading.
Don’t overcook it. Pork tenderloin is very lean, so even a few extra minutes can make a difference. Cook it to 145°F for juicy, tender pork.
A little pink is okay. Perfectly cooked pork tenderloin may still have a slight blush of pink in the center. Internal temperature—not color—is the best way to judge doneness.
Give both tenderloins plenty of seasoning. Rub the paste over the tops, bottoms, and sides so every slice gets that savory, flavorful coating.
Let it rest before slicing. Give the pork a full 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This helps keep those flavorful juices in the meat instead of running out onto your cutting board.
Slice across the grain. Cutting the tenderloin crosswise into slices shortens the muscle fibers and gives you the most tender bite.

Nutrition