We all enjoy the tastiness of a pork dinner, but knowing how to cook pork tenderloin can feel overwhelming. There are so many different things to do with pork tenderloin, but what are the best flavors to complement this cut of meat? Are baked pork tenderloin recipes considered healthy? Our Jeanette’s awesome baked pork tenderloin recipe answers these questions as well as the important difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin.
A Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe Your Whole Family Will Love
Pork tenderloin recipes with garlic and rosemary can complement the mild taste of pork with their stronger flavors. Meanwhile, a sweet glaze or marinade can provide a tasty tang. Jeanette’s baked pork tenderloin recipe uses these seasonings to create a delicious but simple dinner that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Pork Loin vs. Tenderloin
Although both of these cuts of pork are lean and full of flavor, they’re inherently quite different, necessitating different cooking methods. The pork tenderloin in this recipe is a muscle right underneath the backbone. Pork loin is from a different area of the back. Both are different shapes with tenderloin being long, thin and boneless and a pork loin thicker, bigger and with or without a bone.
Given these differences, pork tenderloin and pork loin aren’t interchangeable and should be cooked in different ways to maximize their flavor. Pork tenderloin benefits from quicker cooking methods like roasting or grilling to prevent dryness and seal in juices. As a larger and thicker cut of meat, pork loin is best cooked with low and slow methods.
Is Pork Tenderloin Healthy?
While different cuts like bacon and pork belly are laden with sodium and saturated fat, pork tenderloin is a heart-healthy form of protein. Different feeding practices have created leaner and healthier pigs, making a serving of pork tenderloin as lean as a boneless chicken breast.
In addition, each serving of pork tenderloin provides important nutrients like protein, vitamin B16, and phosphorus that are essential to good health. Jeanette’s baked pork tenderloin recipe features all these health benefits so you can enjoy it knowing you’re making a wholesome choice!
Awesome Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe
This baked pork recipe with garlic, rosemary, and orange juice provides the sweet and savory flavors that complement pork tenderloin. Meanwhile, it’s easy enough to be a weeknight meal with enough show-stopping qualities for a Sunday dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg of 2-2 ½ lbs. pork tenderloin (two tenderloins will be in the package).
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ c. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp. ground pepper
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 11×17 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place tenderloins in dish and, with a sharp knife, poke 6 holes on top of each tenderloin, each about 1 inch deep. Place a sliver of garlic in each hole. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over tenderloins. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, basting every ten minutes with the honey and soy sauce mixture to form a glaze. Allow tenderloin to rest for 10 minutes after cooking. Slice and drizzle with remaining marinade. Enjoy!
As Southern Pine’s expert appliance repair service the team at Moore Appliance is as busy as your active family. We hope you enjoy Jeanette’s baked pork tenderloin as much as we do as an easy, healthy, and tasty family meal!
