Recipe: Ina Garten’s Cider-Roasted Pork Tenderloins with Roasted Plum Chutney (2024)

FAQs

Why sear pork loin before baking? ›

Sear + Roast

This cooking method is a surefire way to make moist and juicy pork tenderloin without much fuss. Searing the meat first gives it that golden-brown crust before a quick roast in the oven finishes it off. It's an easy, crowd-pleasing meal for any night of the week.

Brine the pork to maintain moisture by soaking it in a mixture of salt and water, baking soda, vinegar or even milk. You can also pour hot water over the loin to shrink the rind, which can enable better absorption of brine, milk, oil or marinade.

Center-Cut Loin Roast: This popular boneless roast is juicy, tender, and evenly shaped with somewhat less fat than the center-cut rib roast. We prefer the more flavorful boneless blade-end roast, but the two cuts can be used interchangeably. Make sure to buy a center-cut roast with a decent fat cap on top.

Using the oven: Start by preheating your oven to a low heat. Then, place your pork in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of broth or sauce to keep it moist and cover it with foil. Finally, reheat until it reaches your desired temperature — taking care to check periodically, so you avoid overcooking.

For the best, juiciest pork tenderloin, sear the pork on all sides in a skillet before finishing it in the oven.

Pre-heat oven to 325F (165C). Bake pork tenderloin in the oven UNCOVERED for approximately 20-25 MINUTES *PER POUND* (44-55 MINUTES PER KILOGRAM) Or until internal temperature reaches 155F (68C), rested to a final 160F (71C).

If you're not confident in your cooking skills, there is one foolproof way to guarantee your pork ends up on the tender side, even if you cook it too long: Soak it in a brine or a marinade. According to Hazel, these kinds of preparations always produce the most tender outcomes.

The size and structure of a tenderloin make it perfect for cooking quickly on high heat. You want to be able to brown the outside while still keeping it a little pink on the inside.

DO NOT OVERCOOK THE MEAT. This is the cardinal rule for lean cuts of meat like pork tenderloin. At 400 degrees F, a 1-pound pork tenderloin will cook in 8 to 10 minutes after being seared on the stove.

While pork loin offers a larger size, robust flavor, and versatility in cooking methods, pork tenderloin boasts tenderness, lean meat, and a milder taste.

What's the difference between a pork loin and pork tenderloin? ›

The names may be almost the same, but pork loin and pork tenderloin are different cuts of meat. A pork tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless cut of meat that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone. A pork loin is wider and flatter, and can be a boneless or bone-in cut of meat.

A good rule of thumb is to purchase about two-thirds of a pound of raw pork per person. Pork tenderloin is smaller than pork loin. One tenderloin usually weighs about 1 pound and serves 2 to 3 people.

In fact, taking the chill off your roasts, pork chops, and even fish fillets before cooking will produce juicier, more evenly cooked meat.

Cover the pork tenderloins with aluminum foil to help retain moisture and heat. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Are there any other good ideas for what I should do with about 3 pounds of dry, overcooked pork? Editor: Allison, overall, my suggestion would be to dice or shred it extra-fine and use it in places where its texture will be less of a problem: Breakfast burritos, cheesy pasta casserole, omelets, and soups.

Nonetheless, it remains an essential technique in cooking meat for several reasons: The browning creates desirable flavors through the Maillard reaction. The appearance of the food is usually improved with a well-browned crust.

Always start searing the meat with the fat cap down, in order to get the fat crispy and to render some of fat into the pan which helps brown and flavor the remaining surfaces. In addition, make sure to sear surfaces with bones as well as meat. Warming up the bone helps the meat closest to the bone cook evenly.

The easiest, most reliable method for cooking it is the one we use for so many other cuts of meat: the reverse sear. It works magic on prime rib and beef tenderloin, and it works just as well for pork.