Apple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
This mouth-watering Apple Glazed Pork Tenderloin combines savory spices with a sweet cinnamon apple glaze for the perfect balance of fall flavors. It’s impressive enough for holidays and special occasions, but simple enough for weeknight dinners. With just 30 minutes and 7 easy ingredients, this dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary finely chopped or ground down (see notes)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lb pork tenderloin room temperature
- 1-2 tablespoon cooking oil
Apple Glaze
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a small bowl, make the rub by combining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, chili powder, rosemary, 2 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Pat your pork very dry and sprinkle the rub all over. Press into the entire surface of the pork.
- Drizzle oil into a cast-iron or any oven-safe skillet over high heat. When smoking hot, sear pork until browned on all sides, about 2-4 minutes total. Then turn off the heat and transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Let roast for 10 minutes.
- While the pork is roasting, make the glaze. In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together honey, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, applesauce, mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- After the initial 10 minutes, carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Flip the pork and drizzle sauce all over. Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork is 135-140℉ (resting will increase it to a safe temperature of 145℉).
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with the glaze and serve warm.
Notes
- Pork tenderloin: Try to use two pieces that are relatively the same size for even cooking. If there is a thin, silver membrane (silver skin), trim it off first.
- Rosemary: I recommend using kitchen shears or a spice grinder to crush the dried rosemary and make it finer. Otherwise, it can easily burn and become bitter. If using fresh rosemary, halve the amount.
- Applesauce: . Make sure it's unsweetened and preferably made with just one ingredient, apples. If you have time, feel free to make your own.
- Cooking oil: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.
- Kosher salt: The salt amounts listed in this recipe are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt, reduce by half. If using table salt, reduce the salt by ¼.
- Slow cooker: Add the seared pork tenderloin and glaze to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Substitutions:
- Substitute honey with maple syrup for a different flavor profile.
- Try this recipe with pork loin, pork chops, or chicken breast. The cooking time will change, so make sure to use a meat thermometer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1619mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 611IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg