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We love Baked Pork Tenderloin and this recipe is sure to impress even the pickiest of eaters. It’s super easy and oh so tasty and tender.
Baked Pork Tenderloin
We like to eat pork tenderloin in our house and I am always looking for different ways to dress it up. This is by far one of the easiest things I have done to a tenderloin.
It came out super moist and very tasty! I think your family will enjoy quick and easy pork chops recipes as much as we do.
What is the different between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin:
Pork tenderloin and pork loin are 2 different cuts of meat.
A pork tenderloin is a thinner, boneless and longer cut of meat that comes from the muscle around the backbone.
A pork loin is a larger cut of meat. It can come boneless or bone-in. It looks more like a roast and comes from the back of the animal.
Since these are 2 different cuts of meats, the cook time is different for each one. In this recipe, I use a pork tenderloin.
How do I cook a pork tenderloin in the oven?
If you are wondering how to get a delicious and tender pork tenderloin, it all can be done in the oven!
You will learn how to cook a pork tenderloin in the oven for the absolute best dinner! Your family will love this recipe and ask for seconds.
Ingredients for Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin:
- Pork Tenderloin
- Olive Oil
- Paprika (See The Best Paprika Substitutes)
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- Lemon, juiced
- Butter
Ingredient Substitution Ideas:
- For the Oil – Any cooking oil that you prefer will work in this recipe.
- For the Seasonings – I love the combination of the paprika, Italian seasoning and lemon in this recipe. But you can easily switch it out for your favorites. Oregano, thyme and basil would all be delicious on the baked pork tenderloin.
- For the Butter – The butter is very important in this recipe as it makes the pork moist and tender. I do not recommend leaving it out. But if you must, then I recommend adding more oil to keep the pork moist.
- Add Garlic – If you love garlic, you can easily add 1 tsp of minced garlic or ½ tsp of garlic powder or garlic salt to add a slightly garlic flavor to this recipe.
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin in the Oven with Foil:
First preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place each pork tenderloin in the center of a piece of foil. Rub the olive oil on the pork tenderloins.
Combine the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on each pork tenderloin and top with the lemon juice.
Cut the butter into slabs and place on top of the pork tenderloins.
Cover the pork with the foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Then open the foil packets. Broil for 3-4 minutes to brown the pork slightly.
Then slice, serve and enjoy.
Keep reading to jump to recipe below and to review all the nutritional information.
Pork Tenderloin Oven Temp:
I find that it’s best to cook pork tenderloin at a high temperature in the oven and for a shorter amount of time to make sure that the pork does not dry out.
For this recipe, I cook the pork tenderloin at 400 degrees F.
How long to cook pork tenderloin in oven at 350:
I prefer to cook this pork at a high temperature. However, you can cook pork at 350 degrees F as well. It will take longer to cook through.
If you are cooking at 350, cook the pork tenderloin for 27 minutes-35 minutes until. the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
How to know when the Pork Tenderloin is Done:
I have been making pork for a long time now and I have found that you will need a meat thermometer to know when the pork is ready.
The internal temperature should be 145 degrees F. You do not want the temperature to be much higher than that as it will dry out the pork.
I love this instant read thermometer. I do not like dried out pork, so I recommend using the lower end of the cook time on this recipe. Then check the pork temperature.
If it’s not at the safe cooking temperature, then continue to cook it until the safe temperature has been reached. Watch the pork closely as it cooks to make sure that it doesn’t dry out.
How long to Bake Pork Loin:
You can make this recipe with a pork loin instead of a pork tenderloin. Since pork loin is a larger cut of meat, it will need a longer cook time in the oven.
I would still wrap it in foil to prevent the outside from getting too brown and it would need to cook in the oven for 60-75 minutes at 400 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
This recommend time is for a 3 pound pork loin, so you would need to adjust the time accordingly based on the size of your pork to make the best roasted pork loin.
Tips for this Recipe:
- We use heavy duty foil to wrap the pork tenderloins so that the foil does not easily rip. I find that wrapping the pork helps it not to dry out and makes clean up very easy too.
- Since we wrapped the pork first, we cook it on a baking pan but you can cook it in a roasting pan as well.
- Many recipes call for searing the pork in a pan before baking it. I do not like getting another pan dirty, so I skip that step and boil a few minutes after the cook time to brown the pork slightly. You can pre-sear the pork prior to baking it if you prefer.
- Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the pork has been cooked to a safe temperature before eating it.
- Let the pork sit for 5 minutes before cutting it to make sure that the juices stay inside of the pork to keep it moist.
What to Serve with Baked Pork Tenderloin:
This easy baked pork tenderloin pretty much goes with anything. Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with this pork recipe.
This pork also goes great with a large salad or a veggie for a light and healthy dinner. Here are a few of my favorite vegetable recipes that would go great with this pork tenderloin.
How to Store:
Refrigerate any leftover pork in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days. Add more butter, chicken broth or olive oil to the pork when reheating it to prevent it from drying out.
You can also freeze leftover pork for up to 3-4 months. Defrost it out overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature and then reheat.
Print this Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe below:
Baked Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place each pork tenderloin in the center of a piece of foil.
- Rub the olive oil on the pork tenderloins.
- Combine the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on each pork tenderloin and top with the lemon juice.
- Cut the butter into slabs and place on top of the pork tenderloins.
- Cover the pork with the foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Then open the foil packets. Broil for 3-4 minutes to brown the pork slightly.
- Slice serve and enjoy!
Excellent!! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you liked it!
Delicious and easy!! I served baked sweet potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce.
Made this today, followed all directions and it was fantastic ! thank you !
I used this recipe to bake a pork loin. I cooked at 400 for 35 minutes then kept wrapped loosely in foil until we got home from church. It was very tender and juicy. Great with veggies at lunch and on brioche buns for a sandwich.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it – Thank you for sharing!
First time cooking pork tenderloins. Used this recipe as written and a temperature probe. Huge success, full of flavor and so tender and juicy.
Sorry for the confusion, I have corrected that issue. This pork cooks in 25-30 minutes. I hope you try it out!
Sorry for the confusion, I have corrected that issue. This pork cooks in 25-30 minutes. I hope you try it out!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m glad you enjoyed it – Thank you for sharing!
I made this for supper tonight and it turned out so delicious. I used my Jamaican jerk rub from pampered chef instead of your rub recipe. But I did follow your recipe with everything else. I had to bake it for 50 minutes and it was so delicious and moist and it had the best flavor ever. My husband said it was the best ever ? Thanks for sharing
In the beginning section it says 1 hour cook time, 5 min prep…but then in the directions, it says 25-30 min cook at 400°.
So juicy & tastey! Great recipe.
Am I the only one confused? At the top it says cook time 1 hour and then the recipe says 25-30 minutes?
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Followed the receipt and was perfect. So easy. Out is a keeper.
I liked this recipe. I frequently have trouble with tenderloins drying out, the marinade burning, or not enough juice. This was perfect as the juice is contained within the foil. And then you can broil it for 5 min at the end. I cooked it at 375F as our oven runs hot, for about 35 min. Even with the broiling, the meat was still tender and juicy. I also liked that you do not have to brown it. Makes a supreme mess of my stove! Thank you for this!
This was so delicious and super easy! I don’t eat a lot of meat but this is one recipe that I enjoyed.
AWESOME!!!! The tenderloin came out so moist and tender. Great flavor, easy to make! Definitely my new go to recipe for pork tenderloin!
Thanks for the recipe. I want to encourage you to stop using aluminum foil, though. Throwing away foil is a huge waste of resources and all of us can probably use the exercise of scrubbing our dishes.
Awesome thankyoubfor the recipe! Do you have a monthly meal plan!