Roasted Chili Maple Pork Tenderloin

There was a time, like two weeks ago, when I was terrified to cook a pork tenderloin. Maybe the word terrified is a bit extreme…let’s use intimidated instead. I was definitely intimidated.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been finding myself in a bit of a cooking rut lately, cooking a lot of the same things – mostly chicken and turkey. Nothing wrong with chicken and turkey, but I have been getting bored with it and I’m sure my family is too. I forced myself to get out of my comfort zone and try something new – and cooked up this Roasted Chili Maple Pork Tenderloin. My family is so happy I did. I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks (experimenting with different marinades) and they devoured it. I’m so excited to have something new to throw into the dinner rotation that everyone loves (and it frequently goes on sale at the grocery store so that’s a win!).

What surprised me most about cooking pork tenderloin was how quickly it actually cooks up. I start it on the stovetop, in an oven proof skillet, sear it on all sides for a few minutes then move it into a 425 degree oven for just about 10 minutes (if you don’t have a pan that can transfer into the oven then you can move the tenderloin to a roasting pan after it’s seared). I am learning the importance of using a meat thermometer, and highly recommend you use one as well.

I served up the pork with brown rice and stir fried vegetables. What amazes me is how much my kids loved this entire meal. I have not always been a big meat eater (or a big meat cooker – other than on the grill), but since my kids and their appetites have grown over the years I have really had to challenge myself to cook more meals that I know will fill up bellies and that everyone will enjoy. No offense to chicken and ground turkey, but we have desperately been in need of something new for dinner. Happy to report that this mom nailed it with this one!

Print Recipe

Roasted Chili Maple Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 lb pork tenderloin
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse calt
• fresh ground pepper
• additional oil for searing

Directions:

1. Combine maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place pork tenderloin in a large plastic ziplock bag and pour marinade into bag. Gently massage tenderloin with marinade and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil in an oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Place tenderloin into skillet and sear on all sides (2-3 sides) 2-3 minutes each side until browned.
4. Place entire skillet into oven. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes in oven. Using a meat thermometer, check temperature and cook until it reaches 145-160 degrees. Do not overcook! Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Depending on the thickness of your tenderloins, it may take longer than 8-10 minutes to cook. Sometimes the smaller ends cook faster than the thicker middle part. It's best to use a thermometer in the thickest part of the tenderloin to gauge the temperature.

Helpful kitchen tools used for this recipe:

Tongs

Oven proof skillet

Sharp knife

Meat Thermometer 

(Disclosure: There are links to my affiliate Amazon store in this post. I make small earnings from any purchases made through these links. Thank you so much for any purchases made!)

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Food, Food, Food… on Pinterest.