This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Pan seared pork tenderloin gets a deep golden crust in a hot skillet, then finishes in the oven so the inside stays tender and juicy. Poultry seasoning is the ingredient that makes it, and it fills the whole kitchen with the best smell. Dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes.
More pork loin and tenderloin dinners: Cast Iron Roast Pork Loin | Stuffed Pork Loin | Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Before You Get Started
Pork tenderloin is lean, which means it goes from perfect to dry faster than almost any other cut. These three things make the difference.
- Pull it at 140°F. Carryover heat brings it up to a safe 145°F while it rests. Pork that hits 145 in the oven comes out dry.
- Trim off the silverskin. That thin, shiny membrane never softens and turns tough in every single slice.
- Preheat an oven-safe skillet. Cast iron or stainless gives the best crust, and the pan goes straight into the oven, so skip anything with a plastic handle.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This looks like a fussy restaurant dish and cooks like a weeknight one. The whole thing happens in a single skillet that moves from the stove to the oven.
1. Trim and Season the Pork
Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels, then find the thin, silvery membrane running along one side and slide a sharp knife just underneath it to remove it. Pork tenderloin is naturally very lean, so there is almost nothing else to trim.
Pork Tenderloin vs Loin: Tenderloin is the long, narrow cut that usually comes two to a package. Pork loin is the wider, flatter roast, and it is a different cook time entirely, so make sure you are grabbing the right one.
Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small dish, then rub it into all sides of the meat.
Poultry seasoning on pork surprises people, but the sage and thyme in it are exactly what this cut wants. Swap in your favorite blend if you would rather.
2. Preheat the Oven and Skillet
Preheat the oven to 425°F. While it comes up to temperature, set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Give the pan a full two to three minutes to heat before the pork goes anywhere near it. A pan that is not fully preheated steams the surface instead of browning it, and you lose the crust. You will know it is ready when the oil shimmers and moves easily across the surface.
- Olive Oil or Butter: Olive oil is the better choice for the sear because it handles the heat without burning. If you love the flavor of butter, add a pat during the last minute of searing instead of at the start.
3. Sear on All Sides
Lay the tenderloins in the hot skillet and leave them alone for about 2 minutes. Resist the urge to move them around; that undisturbed contact is what builds color.
Turn and repeat until all three sides are deeply browned, about 6 minutes total.
If the pan looks crowded, sear one tenderloin at a time. Two pieces jammed together will steam instead of brown.
Same pan, same technique, smaller cut: My Pan Seared Pork Chops come together even faster on a busy night.
4. Add Broth and Roast
Pour about a half cup of chicken broth into the skillet. It keeps the pork from drying out and gives you the start of a pan sauce later.
Slide the whole skillet into the preheated oven and roast for 15 to 18 minutes.
- Use a Thermometer: Start checking the temperature at 12 minutes with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part. You are looking for 140°F. Ovens vary and tenderloins vary, so the thermometer is a better guide than the clock.
If your two tenderloins came out noticeably different in size, pull the smaller one a few minutes early and let it rest while the larger one finishes.
5. Rest and Slice
Take the skillet out and tent it loosely with foil, leaving a gap so steam can escape. Let the pork rest 5 to 10 minutes. This is when the juices redistribute, and cutting into it early sends all of them onto the cutting board.
While it rests, set the skillet back over medium heat and let the broth and browned bits bubble down for a minute or two into a quick pan sauce. A pat of butter swirled in at the end makes it glossy.
Slice against the grain into ½ inch medallions and serve on a platter with the pan sauce spooned over.
Warmer weather version: My Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce takes the same cut outside to the grill.
How Long Should You Sear Pork Tenderloin?
Sear time stays about the same no matter what: roughly 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat, about 6 minutes total for all three sides. What changes is the oven time, and that depends on your oven temperature and the size of your tenderloins.
A 2-pound package almost always holds two pieces, and they are rarely the same size. If one is noticeably thicker, plan to pull it a few minutes after the smaller one rather than trying to make them finish together.
Here is a quick guide by oven temperature. Sear first, then roast:
- 375°F: Roast 22 to 25 minutes
- 400°F: Roast 18 to 22 minutes
- 425°F: Roast 15 to 18 minutes (my recommendation)
- 475°F: Roast 12 to 15 minutes
Every one of these ends the same way: pull the pork at 140°F and let it rest.
The National Pork Board considers 145°F safe for tenderloin, and carryover heat gets you there during the rest. That gives you pork that is faintly pink in the center, tender, and nothing like the dry, well-done pork most of us grew up on.
What to Serve With Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is mild and herb-forward, so it plays well with almost anything. I lean toward something starchy to soak up the pan sauce plus one simple green vegetable, and that combination has never let me down.
- Garlic Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes (Make Ahead)
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Garlic Green Beans
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
When the weather turns, this is exactly the kind of dinner I want on the table. My Cozy Fall Dinner Ideas collection has more like it.
Storage Tips
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store sliced or whole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Leaving it whole and slicing as you go keeps it juicier.
Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze whole or sliced for up to 6 months.
Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a covered skillet with a few tablespoons of broth or water over low heat, which rehydrates the meat instead of drying it out further. The microwave works in a pinch but is much less forgiving with a lean cut.
- Leftover favorite: Chop it up, sear it in a little butter, and stir it into Pork Fried Rice. It might be the best thing that happens to leftover pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my pork tenderloin come out dry?
Nine times out of ten it went past 145°F. Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts there is, so there is very little fat to protect it once it passes that point. Pull it from the oven at 140°F and let carryover heat finish the job during the rest.
Skipping the rest causes the same problem from the other direction, since the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
My two tenderloins are different sizes. How do I cook them together?
Sear them both the same way, then start checking the smaller one at 10 to 12 minutes. Pull it as soon as it hits 140°F, tent it with foil, and put the skillet back in for the larger one. The smaller piece will rest happily for 10 minutes while the other finishes.
What if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet?
Sear the pork in whatever skillet you have, then transfer it to a baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, add the broth, and roast as written. Preheat that dish in the oven while you sear so the pork is not hitting a cold surface, and add a couple of extra minutes to the roast time.
My pork was cooked right but still chewy. What happened?
Usually one of two things. Either the silverskin was left on, which stays tough no matter how perfectly the meat is cooked, or the tenderloin was sliced with the grain instead of across it. Look for the direction the muscle fibers run and cut perpendicular to them.
More Easy Pork Dinners
- Lemon Herb Pork Tenderloin
- Cajun Pork Tenderloin
- Skillet Pork Chops with Gravy
- Braised French Onion Pork Chops
- Easy Crock Pot Pork Roast
Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin usually 2 pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and trim off the thin silvery membrane, sliding a sharp knife just underneath it.
- Mix garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Rub the seasoning into all sides of the pork.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil shimmers and moves easily across the pan.
- Sear the tenderloins about 2 minutes per side without moving them, until deeply browned on all three sides, about 6 minutes total.
- Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and transfer the whole pan to the oven. Roast 15 to 18 minutes, checking the temperature at 12 minutes. Pull the pork when it reaches 140°F in the thickest part.
- Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Rest 5 to 10 minutes, until the internal temperature rises to 145°F.
- Slice against the grain into ½ inch medallions and serve, spooning any pan juices over the top.
Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet. Cast iron or stainless gives the best crust and moves straight from stovetop to oven. Nonstick will not brown the same way. No oven-safe skillet? Sear in any skillet, then transfer to a preheated baking dish, add the broth, and roast, adding a couple of extra minutes.
- Pull at 140°F, not 145°F. Carryover heat during the rest brings it to a safe 145°F. Pulling at 145 gives you dry pork.
- Trim the silverskin. It never softens and stays tough through every slice.
- Sizes vary. Depending on your oven and the thickness of the pork, it could take as little as 12 minutes or as long as 20. Start checking at 12.
- Uneven pieces: If one tenderloin is noticeably larger, pull the smaller one early and let it rest while the other finishes.
- Oven temperature adjustments: At 375°F roast 22 to 25 minutes, at 400°F roast 18 to 22 minutes, at 475°F roast 12 to 15 minutes.
- Butter option: Olive oil handles the sear better, but a pat of butter added during the last minute adds great flavor.
- Quick pan sauce: Set the skillet back over medium heat while the pork rests and reduce the broth and browned bits for a minute or two. Swirl in a pat of butter at the end.
- Slice against the grain. Cutting with the grain makes properly cooked pork feel chewy.
- Storage. Refrigerate 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 6 months. Reheat in a covered skillet with a splash of broth.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Followed the recipe exactly. Turned out perfectly! Will definitely cook again! Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome Julia! Thanks for stopping by.
Easy and tasty!
This was fantastic and so easy to make! It smelled really good while cooking (I’m thinking it was the poultry seasoning) and tasted great. Thanks for a great recipe that will be made again.
This recipe is one of those things I gorge myself on. So, so yummy!!