Perfect Pork Tenderloin with Apples
- PREP 15min
- COOK 35min
- TOTAL 50min
I love this easy pork tenderloin with apples. The trick to this recipe is searing the tenderloins before rubbing them with mustard and roasting them on a bed of apples and onions. One note, “pork tenderloin” and “pork loin” are two different cuts of meat. Pork tenderloins are much thinner and take less time to cook.
You Will Need
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 ½ pounds each
2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or whole ground mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 apples, cored and sliced
2 onions, sliced into wedges
1 cup chicken stock, see our homemade chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Set aside a wide oven-safe skillet, like a cast iron pan. Use a regular skillet and a baking dish if you do not have one.
Trim each tenderloin of any silver skin (this can be tough when cooked). Use a small, sharp knife, sliding the blade underneath the silver skin and then outward to remove it.
Pat the pork dry with paper towels and rub it with one tablespoon of the oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmers, add the pork tenderloins and cook, occasionally turning, until evenly browned all over, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a large plate or cutting board. (The pork will not be cooked through.)
Keep the pan used to sear the pork on the stove over medium heat. Check the pan. If it looks dry, add two to three teaspoons of additional oil. (If there is fat left in the pan from cooking the pork, there is no need to add extra oil).
Add the apples and onions, then cook, tossing them around the pan until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of thyme.
Use a pastry brush (or your fingers) to rub the seared pork all over with the mustard, 2 teaspoons of thyme, and black pepper.
Place the seared pork tenderloins on top of the apples and onions, and then slide them into the oven. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer everything to a baking dish and roast in the oven.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers between 145°F and 150°F. Transfer the pork to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
While the pork rests, return the pan with apples and onions to the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add chicken stock and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon, lifting any brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Add butter and stir until melted.
To serve, slice the pork into 1-inch slices and serve on a bed of apples and onions with pan sauce drizzled on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Update: Some reviewers felt the apples became too soft in this recipe. We don’t mind since they become a lovely sauce, but if you are concerned, use firmer apples like Honeycrisp and Fuji. You can also cook the apples and onions separately from the pork. This way, you can roast the pork until done while at the same time cooking the apples and onions until you’re happy with their texture—possibly a few minutes less than stated above.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.