Description
Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin is a simple and flavorful recipe featuring tender pork coated with a delicious spice rub and baked to juicy perfection. This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a casual gathering, delivering moist, tender pork with a slightly smoky and savory crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 2 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each
Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Other
- 1/4 cup butter cut into pats
- Chopped parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Prepare Tenderloins: Cut off any excess fat and silver skin from the pork tenderloins. Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure the spice rub adheres well.
- Mix Spice Rub: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well to blend all the spices evenly.
- Coat Pork: Rub the spice mixture evenly all over the tenderloins to completely coat the meat with the flavorful mixture.
- Arrange in Baking Dish: Place the coated pork tenderloins into a 9×13 inch baking dish or similar size. Evenly distribute the butter pats on top of the pork for added moisture and richness during baking.
- Bake: Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145F, indicating it is safely cooked but still juicy.
- Rest and Slice: Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute. Then slice the pork tenderloin into medallions.
- Serve: Pour the pan juices over the sliced pork, and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. These pan juices also work wonderfully drizzled over a side dish such as mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Serves 6-8 depending on portion size. Halve all ingredients if preparing a single 1-pound pork tenderloin.
- Do not use pork loin for this recipe as it is a tougher cut requiring longer cooking times.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure pork reaches 145F—the safe internal temperature with a slight pink center.
- This recipe is featured in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
- Allowing the pork to rest after baking is essential for juicy, tender results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
