My Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Fennel is a dish you will make repeatedly. It is so easy to make; the pork fillets are coated in a flavoursome herb and spice rub, seared in a hot frying pan, then roasted in the oven with wedges of onion, apple, and fennel. The Roasted Pork Tenderloin is succulent and tender, the vegetables lightly caramelised and full of flavour. This is a dish which is easy enough to make for weeknights, whilst also being sufficiently special for entertaining. So easy and so good – it is certain to become a family favourite!
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- If you love an easy to prepare meal that contains simple ingredients and tastes fantastic, this is the recipe for you - this is the weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy.
- The Roasted Pork Tenderloins and the accompanying ingredients are quickly and easily prepared.
- The homemade spice rub adds delicious flavour to the mild flavoured pork.
- You can customise this dish to suit your taste. Pork tenderloin is a blank canvas when it comes to adding flavour. Vary the herbs, spices or switch up the vegetables.
- It is easy to halve or increase the ingredients as required.
Recipe Inspiration: I love an easy dinner that tastes fantastic, and one of my favourite cuts of meat is a pork tenderloin. It is ideal for nights when time is short as it requires very little preparation time, and when properly cooked, it is juicy, tender, and so delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Pork tenderloins – also known as pork fillet, the tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless piece of meat which has a mild flavour and tender texture. It is not the same as a pork loin and they are not interchangeable. A delicious and versatile cut of meat - perfect roasted or pan fried like our Creamy Pork Tenderloin Medallions.
- Olive oil – we sear the pork in olive oil as the slight caramelisation greatly enhances the flavour.
- Garlic powder – we use the garlic powder for flavour in the rub as fresh garlic is not suitable, it would burn.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – season the tenderloin.
- Dried oregano - I have used dried oregano, it goes well with pork dishes. If you prefer, use another herb of your choice.
- Sage leaves – a classic companion to pork, they add great flavour.
- Apples – we have used Pink Lady apples as we found that they kept their shape better than Granny Smith. You could use another of your choice, such as Fuji or Jazz.
- Red onions – we like the extra sweetness in red onions, but you can use brown/yellow or white onions if you prefer.
- Fennel bulb – roasting the fennel transforms it. It loses its anise flavour and becomes sweet, mild, and gently caramelised.
Variations:
Spice rub – vary according to your taste. Consider onion powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder or dried thyme.
Sage – you could substitute with finely chopped rosemary if you prefer.
Apples – use the variety of apple that you prefer.
Red onions – substitute with brown/yellow or white onions.
How To Make Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Remove the silver skin from the pork:
If necessary, remove the silver skin on the pork. Details are in the recipe.
Preheat your oven and prepare your baking tray.
2 – Start roasting your vegetables:
Prepare your apple, onion, and fennel, add to baking tray and season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Place into the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
3 – Season the pork:
Combine the dry rub ingredients and rub all over both tenderloins.
4 – Sear the meat:
In a large frying pan, sear the pork on all sides.
5 – Add the pork to the vegetables:
Add pork to the baking tray and roast until the internal temperature measures 63 degrees C (145 F). Remove pork and set aside to rest.
6 – Finish roasting the vegetables:
Return the tray of vegetables to the oven with the sliced sage until cooked through.
Slice the pork and serve with the fennel, apple, and onion.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Pork tenderloin/fillet is a lean, boneless cut of meat which, as the name implies, is tender. As it is lean, it lends itself to quick cooking techniques making it ideal for busy weeknights. It is mildly flavoured so can benefit from being combined with bolder flavours.
For the best result, we like to sear the pork before roasting. Browning the meat does not take much time but gives the pork a more appetising appearance and the caramelisation of the surface of the meat adds tremendous flavour. However, if you choose to not sear the pork, you will just need to cook it a few minutes longer.
There’s no need to worry about slightly pink meat. The United States Department of Agriculture has advised that whole cuts of meat, such as the pork tenderloin, are safe to eat when cooked to 63 degrees C/145 F with the addition of a three-minute rest time. The pork will be slightly pink in the centre and have the most tender, succulent meat. However, if you prefer to not have any pink, cook the meat to an internal temperature of 68 degrees C/155 F. But I urge you to not go any further or you risk having dry, tough meat.
Cool leftovers as quickly as possible and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For safety reasons, if the pork has been at room temperature for 2 hours, it should be discarded. See details for reheating below.
Yes, you can store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost the frozen pork in the fridge. To reheat, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet or saucepan, with a tight-fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the leftover pork and place the lid on the pan. Heat for about 3 or 4 minutes; the meat must be thoroughly heated through.
Top Tip:
For the best result, bring the tenderloin to room temperature before cooking. This ensures that the meat cooks more evenly, and as always, you get the best results by using good quality ingredients.
We have one simple but very important tip that will ensure you enjoy melt-in-the-mouth tender pork. My tip? So simple; do not overcook the pork! It is a lean cut and overcooking will make the meat tough and dry.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve our delicious Pork Tenderloin alongside one or several of these tasty side dishes:
- Our Whole Roasted Baby Potatoes are perfect to serve with the Roasted Pork Tenderloin as they can cook in the oven at the same time.
- To add some greens, our Roasted Broccolini would be ideal.
- A simple salad, such as our Rocket and Pear Salad is a fresh flavoured side dish.
- My Cauliflower Gratin is creamy, delicious and works so well with pork.
If you have not previously roasted a pork tenderloin, you will be delighted by how easy it is. This is a comforting dish, ideal for family meals or suitable when entertaining as it is always a crowd-pleaser. And having learned that tender, succulent pork depends on not overcooking it, you will find yourself cooking pork tenderloin on a regular basis. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below!
Alex xx
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Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Fennel
Equipment
- meat thermometer
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 2 pork tenderloins/fillets - about 500 g/1.1 lb each - at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
For the Vegetables:
- 2 medium pink lady apples – quartered, core removed and cut in 2 cm/0.8" wedges
- 2 medium red onions - peeled and cut in 2 cm/0.8" wedges – leave root end intact to keep wedges together
- 1 medium fennel bulb - trimmed, core removed and cut in 1 cm/0.4" wedges
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh sage leaves – roughly chopped, loosely packed See Note 2
- salt and pepper - add to your liking See Note 3
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: if necessary, remove the silver skin on the pork. The silver skin is the thin membrane found on one side of the tenderloin. To remove it, insert the tip of a sharp knife between the skin and the flesh. Push the knife forward, away from you, so you will have the skin to hold onto. Continue to slide the knife between the flesh and the silver skin, removing as little meat as possible. Repeat the process until the silver skin is removed.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 F) and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Prepare the apple, onion and fennel. Add to your prepared baking tray and season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.Place into preheated oven about 10 minutes.
- While the vegetables are starting to roast, combine all the ingredients for the dry rub and rub all over both tenderloins. In a large frying pan, over medium high heat, sear the pork on all sides, about 6 – 8 minutes in total. The meat will still be uncooked in the middle – it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Add seared pork to baking tray with vegetables and roast for approximately 13 – 15 minutes.We recommend that you use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork tenderloin until temperature measures 63 C (145 F). (See Note 4.)Once it has reached temperature, remove the pork from the tray and set aside to rest.
- Add the sliced sage to the vegetables, and return the vegetables to the oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly caramelised around the edges.Carve the meat in 6.5 mm (¼ inch) slice sand serve with accompanying vegetables.
Video
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Herbs: use fresh rosemary if you prefer. You will need 3 teaspoons chopped leaves.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for this recipe.
- Pork cookery: to check that the tenderloin is cooked, insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the pork tenderloin. The meat is cooked when the temperature measures 63 degrees C (145 F). The meat will cook a little further as it rests. At this stage, the pork will be slightly pink in the centre and have the most tender, succulent meat. There’s no need to worry about slightly pink meat. The United States Department of Agriculture has advised that whole cuts of meat, such as the pork tenderloin, are safe to eat when cooked to 63 degrees C (145 F) with the addition of a three-minute rest time. The pork will be slightly pink in the centre and have the most tender, succulent meat. However, if you prefer to not have any pink, cook the meat to an internal temperature of 68 degrees C (155 F). For tender, succulent meat, do not overcook the pork. It is a lean cut and overcooking will make the meat tough and dry.
- Leftovers: if you have leftovers, cool them as quickly as possible and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For safety reasons, if the pork has been at room temperature for 2 hours, it should be discarded.
- Freezing: to freeze any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost the frozen pork in the fridge.
- Reheating: to reheat, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet or saucepan, with a tight-fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the leftover pork and place the lid on the pan. Heat for about 3 or 4 minutes; the meat must be thoroughly heated through.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Marie says
I should have reviewed this when I first made it because yum! But I forgot. I got a reminder when I thawed the leftovers last night and turned them into nachos. Even after being in the freezer it was beautifully juicy and tender after thawing. I was eating it cold, it was so good.
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you for leaving a review, Marie!
Using leftovers for nachos sounds so good 🙂 I really appreciate your comment! Alex xo
Ali Dymond says
Made this for Good Friday - everyone raved about it. It was so easy and so tasty. I will be making this on rotation, not just for special occasions. Thanks Alex
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Ali,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe 🙂 I am so happy it is one you'll be making regularly.
Really appreciate your comment, Alex xo