Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet
This Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet is glazed in maple and whole mustard with thyme and a splash of cider vinegar. There are peeled and quartered shallots in it too! It is fancy enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight!
I just got one of those “only you can see this” facebook pictures from this date four years ago. In it I had taken a picture of Christmas decorations in the check-out of the supermarket in October! Seeing it again, I was still in disbelief that people were thinking about the holidays in October.
But then when I sat down to write to you all about this Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet recipe I was like, man-oh-man this recipe would be awesome for people to serve during the holidays. And I wanted to tell you all that, but I didn’t want to be like the supermarket that forgot about the whole month of November!
But here’s the thing. I don’t want you to wait until the holidays to try it, because two reasons, three actually. One, it’s made with apples and therefore in season right this very minute. Two, even though it is fancy enough to serve for the holidays, it’s also easy enough that you can make it any old day of the week between now and then. And three, it is just to good to wait! The maple mustard glaze and the soft roasty toasty apples and shallots are sublime! Do not delay!!
So I am forging ahead, just like the crazy supermarket that put up the holiday decorations in October.
How long to roast pork tenderloin
In this recipe, first sear the pork in the skillet. This will give the meat an appealing crust and browned exterior and will lend flavor to the skillet in the form of fond. Here are couple things to keep in mind:
- Make sure your skillet is blazing hot and make sure your pork is totally dry. That will give you the best color, and the meat will not stick to the skillet. Turn it after several minutes, then every minute or two for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Also, make sure that the oven is fully preheated before the skillet goes in. In this one I used a 400 degree oven.
- Roast the pork for 12 to 15 minutes.
What Internal Temperature to Cook Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Here’s the problem: Pork tenderloin is not symmetrical. It is skinny on one end and fat on the other end. So poor little skinny end will be cooked though sooner. The National Pork Board recommends that you cook pork to 145 degreed F, then rest it for 3 minutes. But if you were to do that, the skinny end would be total sawdust.
- When I was testing this recipe, I had better luck pulling the pork out earlier than that, and letting it rest on a platter tented with foil for 10 minutes. That gave me a nice slightly rosy interior on the thicker end, and more well done pieces on the tail end. Keep in mind a couple things, I temped it at a couple different spots. At narrower spots it was indeed at 145. At the tip it was even hotter. But at the very thickest part it was 136. I pulled it, put it on a heavy platter to hold in the heat and tented it with foil. I let it rest for a full 10 minutes.
- Note: Make sure you know where the sensor is in your thermometer. Some of them are deceptive and the sensor is actually an inch up from the tip!
- My advice is this: If you are concerned, feel free to go by the guidelines set out by the FSIS, and cook it to 145. Consuming undercooked meat puts you at risk for food born illness.
Why Do You Rest Roasted Pork Tenderloin and For How Long
- Because pork tenderloin is incredibly lean it is really important to let it rest after it is roasted. I think it is better to let it rest for a full 10 minutes on a nice heavy platter with foil over it. That will ensure that there will be carry-over heat that will continue to cook it through. See above about internal temps.
- When you cook meat the muscle fibers (yes that is what meat is, sorry to burst your bubble if you didn’t know that) denature and seize up. If you were to cut into the meat right when it came out of the pan and those fibers were still taught, then the juice held within would flow right out onto the carving board. Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax again and the juices stay inside when the meat is sliced.
- Rest smaller cuts of pork, such as pork chops that are 1-inch thick or less for 3 minutes. Thicker cuts, such as this Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet should be rested for longer. Up to 10 minutes. Pork loin roasts can be rested for 15 to 20 minutes.
What to Serve with Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet
- The flavors in this easy roasted pork tenderloin and apple skillet are sweet and savory with a splash of acidity from apple cider vinegar- so it pairs well with simple earthy flavors.
- I served it with my Herb Smashed Potatoes which are made with yogurt. The flavor of the herbs and raw scallions in the smashed potatoes layer well and taste awesome with the roasted shallots and thyme in the roasted pork recipe.
- I also made simple steamed brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. If you were serving this at a dinner party for the holidays, I would make my roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and thyme or my simple skillet green beans. These Roasted Rainbow Carrots are pretty!
- Other ideas are to serve it with Wild Rice Pilaf or my Vegetarian Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pilaf and a spinach salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing.
- For dessert, try my Gingerbread Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting or if you want something more simple these Vegan Hermit Cookies are so good. I just made some last weekend and they won me lots of brownie points!
More Recipes Like This You May Like
- This Roasted Pork Loin is brined and roasted with a maple mustard crust. It’s served with apple chutney and makes an impressive holiday meal.
- This One Pan Sausage, Potato and Apple Bake has a maple mustard glaze added to it for a burst of flavor.
- This Squash, Kale and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner with Apples is another one-pan dinner to make in the fall and winter.
- in warmer months, try our Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Lemon and Rosemary.
- This Stove-top Pork Tenderloin is another way to make this easy healthy cut of meat.
Please let me know if you make this recipe by coming back and leaving a star rating and review. And tag me @healthyseasonal on Instagram!
Thanks so much for reading!
Happy Cooking!
~Katie
PrintOven Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Maple Mustard Glaze
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 17
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Apple Skillet with Maple Mustard Glaze, Shallots and thyme. A simple paleo-friendly and grain-free one pan recipe for entertaining during the holidays or for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
¼ cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark robust
2 tablespoons whole grain prepared mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon avocado oil or canola oil
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 ¼ pound
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into large wedges
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Stir maple syrup, mustard and cider vinegar in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook, turning after a few minutes, then every minute or two until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add shallots and apples and sprinkle with salt and thyme.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven, and let roast until the apples are browning on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven, stir shallot and apple mixture and drizzle the maple mixture all over the pork and apple mixture. Return the skillet to the oven and roast, stirring the apple mixture and turning the pork occasionally, until the pork registers 136 to 145 degrees F when tested with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the tenderloin, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the pork to a carving board or heavy platter and tent with foil. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice on a slight bias into ½-inch thick medallions. Serve the pork with the apples and shallots and any juices from the skillet.
Notes
The USDA recommends that Americans cook pork to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, followed by a rest of 3 minutes. Consuming undercooked meat puts you at risk for food born illness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces pork, 2/3 cup apples
- Calories: 256
- Sugar: 22
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
Easy, quick, and delicious
I served it with perogies and fresh green beans
★★★★★
Now that sounds like a perfect meal. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know your thoughts!
Made this tonight! Even though it was simple and quick and great for a weeknight meal, it was beautiful enough to serve for company! It was excellent. The flavors of the mustard, vinegar and maple syrup along with a hint of thyme were wonderful. A keeper for sure!
★★★★★
This recipe was a big hit and SO quick and easy to make. I substituted Grey Poupon country dijon mustard- we didn’t have any whole-grained mustard on hand. It was wonderfully flavorful, and that apple-shallot combination absorbed all the flavors of the pork and sauce beautifully. I’m looking forward to trying it with whole grain mustard next round.
★★★★★
Yes, I made this dish tonight!
It was so easy to prepare and didn’t take no time at all to cook!
My husband loved it
I will keep this recipe in my Arsenal of recipes from now on!
★★★★★
Excellent, company quality! Have made this several times with good reviews every time. Very easy recipe.
★★★★★
Made this pork roast tonight exactly as written and it came out delicious!! Thank you for any easy week night meal. I will definitely be making it again.
This looks like the perfect fall dinner – I love the classic apple and pork combo!
★★★★★
My family has been thrilled about it! I am glad you agree. Have a great week Danielle.
I love the apple and pork combination in this dish! They pair together to create a beautiful and flavorful recipe!
★★★★★
We have so many apples from when we went apple picking earlier this fall, so I am happy to have another favorite way to use them now. They really are a natural partner to pork. Have a great day Cindy!
This is a great recipe for autumn. I don’t think I’d be willing to wait until the holidays to try it either – those apple, mustard and thyme sound so good.
★★★★★
Don’t wait! You will be happy you tried it. Plus you can have it now and later too.
Such great flavors in this dish! I grew up eating apple sauce with pork, but have since upgraded to apples like this! So good!
★★★★★
I was trying to remember if my mom did that. I think she did make applesauce with pork too. I always think of Peter Brady when someone mentions it. ha ha!
Perfect roast for a weekend!! Can’t wait to try it, love the combination with the apples.
★★★★★
We’ve been really enjoying this one this fall. Even on weeknights. Once the skillet goes into the oven, it’s hands off, so I can be running around doing chores etc.