Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
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yes. i know. there are no brussel sprouts on my plate. I love them. they don’t love me back :-(
I’d say the key here is the balsamic, but is it the rosemary, or maybe the garlic, or is the butter? It’s really hard to say which one is the key element to making this simple dish an over the top winner but it doesn’t really matter! What you have here is a dish with about 10-15 minutes prep time 30ish minutes of hands off cook time (for 1.25lbs) and then some serious silence at the table while your family eats in joy.
Important Notes:
(1) AMOUNT OF PORK: This recipe is for 1ish lbs of pork tenderloin because that is what I cook with for our family of 3. 1ish lbs serves 3 people (technically it has 4 servings). Keep that in mind as you prepare this for your family.
(2) COST: Pork tenderloin should be a relatively inexpensive cut of meat. At Trader Joes 1.20 lb prepackaged cut was $5.00.
(3) COOK TIME: Pork tenderloin should be cooked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches an internal cooking temperature of between 145° (medium- rare)and 160° F (medium-well), followed by a 5-7 minute rest.
INGREDIENTS
1ish lbs pork tenderloin
salt and fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning pork)
2-4 tablespoons butter (We use Earth Balance).
4 cloves garlic — minced
3 tablespoon of good (not too acidic) balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoon dried herb mix — rosemary, thyme, and oregano in whatever proportions you have available. I suggest being heavier handed with the rosemary.
2 types of vegetables - brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes, multi colored carrots and yukon golds, whatever your family enjoys - cut into equal sizes, roughly 1-2 inch pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Season pork with salt and pepper if not already seasoned.
Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. for about 1 minute. Sear the pork loin on the sides until a brown crust forms. It should be 1-2 minute each side. Remove the pork from the pan and set the pork aside on a plate.
Remove the pan from the heat and add butter and garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds. (I always start with 2 Tbsp first and then add more if I need. I find 4 is too much unless you have 2+ lbs of meat).
Add balsamic and all the dried herb mix. Stir the sauce for 1 minute or until the butter is completely melted.
Bring the pork tenderloin back to the skillet (still not on heat) and spoon some sauce over it.
DO NOT Cover the pork tenderloin - place in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes.
Half way through (if you remember - I never do) spoon more sauce on top of the pork loin and cook for the remainder of time or until it gets the interior temperature of 145°F-155°F
When temperature reaches desired point - we alway go with somewhere in the mid-to-upper 150s - remove from oven, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 5-7 minutes.
Transfer to the vegetable cookie sheet, drizzle remaining balsamic/herb sauce over roast and veggies.
Slice thin and garnish and serve with roasted veggies.
Bon Apetit
**Quick tip about veggies: some veggies like potatoes and sprouts and even carrots can take longer than you may anticipate to roast and usually require higher heat/longer than than the pork . Put them in on a cookie sheet before the roast (15-30 minutes before) and give them a head start. It’s ok to pull them out a little early and then while the roast is resting you can pop them back in to warm up.
X Hugs X
