Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Fennel
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!
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.
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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.