As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Honey mustard pork tenderloin makes a great Sunday dinner.
Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
The thing I love about this honey mustard pork tenderloin or any pork tenderloin for that matter is how quickly it cooks.
As with most tenderloin recipes, this one has to marinate. I usually marinate overnight but this time I was pressed for time and did the minimum of one hour. I was surprised at how well it was flavored even in that short amount of time.
Heading this off at the pass–because I know there will be emails and comments to that effect, but a bit of pink in pork is totally safe since pork is safe to eat at 140F/70C. I like mine a little more “done” so next time I’ll give it an extra few minutes. Truthfully, done like in the photo, it’s very juicy. However, I understand the reaction to pinkish pork as I have it myself.
Garlic? The More The Merrier
That describes me an many friends, but I do realize that a lot of garlic isn’t everyone’s dish of tea.
The recipe calls for four cloves. If you use small cloves that should not overwhelm the flavor. Of course with larger cloves you can alway cut the amount in half. I used four large cloves and found the flavor to be excellent, but bear in mind I love garlic. So if you don’t, then reduce the amount accordingly.
Air Fryer
Make It in the air fryer too! All you have to do is eliminate the step of browning the tenderloin in a skillet before roasting. I find the air fryer browns rather nicely. You might not want to skip that step since the air fryer cooks more quickly than a conventional oven–usually it will take 1/3 less time. But since air fryers only go up to 400F/200C, this tenderloin will need to cook the same amount of time as the conventional cooking method. To play it safe, always use an instant-read meat thermometer and remember letting the meat stand and it will continue to cook. It will raise the internal temp from 5-10 degrees.
The Recipe
Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork tenderloins
- 3 tsp kosher salt divided
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp onion powder
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 tbs oil
Instructions
- Season two 1–1½-lb. pork tenderloins all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a large bowl or resealable bag. Add the thyme leaves and finely grate or crush 4 garlic cloves over the pork.
- Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tsp. onion powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until just combined. Season with remaining ½ tsp. kosher salt. Pour half of honey-mustard sauce over pork and turn to coat. Reserve remaining honey-mustard sauce for serving. Cover or seal bag and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
- Heat 2 tbs oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Remove pork from marinade and let excess drip off. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer skillet to oven and roast, flipping pork halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F/70C 14–18 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing 1/2-inch thick. Serve drizzled with reserved honey-mustard sauce.
- For air fryer--browning in the skillet is optional but it does produce a better color. Air fry at 400F/200C for 18-20 minutes. Test with instant read thermometer.
