Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Pork tenderloin takes well to a little citrus, especially when there's a spoonful of savory juice to go with each slice. This is an inviting roast to put in the middle of dinner.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Pierce before seasoning
Pierce the tenderloins all over with a fork before rubbing oil onto all sides.
2. Pat the rub on
After sprinkling on the spice mixture, press it into all sides of the meat. That little bit of contact helps build the browned, seasoned outside as it bakes.
3. A little pink is allowed here
The recipe gives a range for baking and notes that you can pull the tenderloin earlier if you like the center a little pink. Let your preferred doneness guide the final few minutes.
Get to know the ingredients
Tenderloin size can vary
Use one medium-large tenderloin or one to two very small ones. The seasonings can be doubled or tripled for very large tenderloins.
Choose one citrus, or mix them
Fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice all work here. You can use one kind, or use a spoonful of each for the full amount called for.
Smoked paprika is worth using
The paprika is optional, but it’s recommended in the ingredient note. Add it with the rest of the spices if you have it, especially if you like a deeper, smoky edge.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Don’t skip the juices. Spoon them over the meat before it rests, then again over the sliced pieces. That’s where a lot of the citrusy, seasoned flavor ends up.
A little more help as you go
Use the baking dish juices
As the tenderloin roasts, the citrus and seasoning collect in the dish. Keep those juices for spooning over the meat instead of leaving them behind in the pan.
Slice after resting
Give the pork its rest before cutting it into 1 inch pieces. Slicing too soon means you miss the resting step that comes before the final pan juices go over top.
A few questions you might have
Do I rub the spices on before or after the citrus juice?
Rub the tenderloin with oil first, pat on the spice mixture, place it in the dish, then drizzle the citrus juice over the top.
Can I use more than one kind of citrus juice?
Yes. Use lemon, lime or orange juice, or one tablespoon of each.
Where should the pork rest?
Either spot is fine. Rest it on a cutting board or right in the baking dish for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Is the cilantro required at the end?
No. Fresh chopped cilantro is listed as an optional garnish in the final step, so you can serve the sliced pork with just the pan juices.
Can I use very small tenderloins?
Yes. This is flexible: use one to two very small pork tenderloins, one medium-large tenderloin, or scale the seasoning up for very large tenderloins.
Any more cooking tips?
This recipe is pretty flexible and you can use 1-2 very small pork tenderloins, or one medium-large pork tenderloin OR you can double or even triple the ingredients for the seasonings and serve a LOT of people with very large tenderloins.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: lecremedelacrumb.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.