Pan Roasted Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

This herb rubbed pork tenderloin is seared in a hot skillet then transferred to the oven to finish cooking. The result is a flavorful tenderloin that’s tender and juicy and impossible to resist. It can also be cooked on your grill outside. 

Even as spring is soon coming to an end and summer is looming on the horizon, and people are searching for cool salads and refreshing treats, I’m sharing my favorite all time recipe for pork tenderloin. It’s pan roasted on the stove then in the oven which creates a delicious crust on the outside and holds all the flavorful juices on the inside. The great part is you can still throw this meat on the grill – it’s great for barbecues!

I’m a sucker for anything that’s cooked in a cast iron skillet, but you could cook this in pretty much any oven safe skillet. Just remember that with nonstick you won’t get the same sear on the outside as you do with cast iron or stainless steel.

This dish looks beautiful yet it’s quite easy to make. It’s truly one of my absolute favorite meals to make, and it’s easy enough for a weeknight family dinner, and fancy enough for company. I’ll give you a quick step by step, then you can download or print the full recipe at the end of the post.

Start by trimming the meat. Pork Tenderloin is naturally a very low-fat meat, so there isn’t much to trim. But there is a thin, silvery looking skin that you want to find and trim off, because it tends to get a bit tough when it cooks. Then sprinkle on and rub in some garlic powder, onion powder and poultry seasoning. (I know it says “poultry” but trust me on this one!).

Next heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add a couple pats of butter or tablespoons of olive oil. Cast iron isn’t a must, but it definitely gives the best sear. If you don’t have cast iron, stainless steel would be my next choice. Just be sure to use an oven-safe skillet.

Sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side – so six minutes total. The oven should be preheating at this time to 425 degrees.

Once you have a nice sear on all three sides, it’s time to stick that baby in the oven. Add about a half cup of chicken broth (helps to keep it from drying out) and place in the oven for 18 minutes. I’ve got this down to a science in my own oven, but you might have to play around with the times in yours.

After the 18 minutes is up, remove the pan from the oven and tent with foil to give the meat time to rest; about 5-10 minutes. (Tenting is just lightly covering with foil, in essence, making a “tent” shape with the foil so the steam can escape).

Cut the meat into 1/2 inch medallions, and serve on a pretty platter. It looks gorgeous, and it tastes as good as it looks.

 

 For more easy meal ideas, be sure to try these:

Bacon Wrapped Ginger Soy Chicken

Chicken Stuffed Manicotti

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs

One Pan Italian Sausage and Tortellini

For all dinner recipes go HERE and for all recipes go HERE.