Spiced Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin That Tastes Like Fall
Spiced apple butter pork tenderloin is a cozy dinner that doesn’t wreck your evening: sear for color, finish in the oven so it stays juicy, and build a quick apple-forward pan sauce while it rests.
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet (cast iron)
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Instant-read thermometer
- Cutting board
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin about 450–600 g / 1–1 1/4 lb; silver skin trimmed
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal; or 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil for searing
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion about 150 g; sliced into thin wedges
- 1 crisp apple about 180–220 g; cored and sliced (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady)
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated or minced
- 1/3 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp packed brown sugar optional; depends on how sweet your apple butter is
- 1–2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Put a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pat the pork dry. Season all over with the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Add the olive oil to the hot pan. Sear the tenderloin 2–3 minutes per side until well browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the butter to the pan. Add the onion and apple with a pinch of salt and cook 3–5 minutes, tossing, until the edges start to color.
- Stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds. Pour in the cider to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
- Whisk the apple butter, Dijon, vinegar, and (if using) brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir it into the skillet; the sauce will tighten as it reduces.
- Nestle the pork back into the pan on top of the apples and onions. Spoon some sauce over the top.
- Roast 10–16 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest part reaches 63°C / 145°F.
- Move the pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 10 minutes.
- While it rests, simmer the pan sauce over medium for 2–4 minutes until glossy and spoon-coating. If too thick, splash in a tablespoon of cider or water.
- Slice the pork into 1–1.5 cm / 1/2-inch medallions. Spoon the apple-butter sauce over the top and scatter thyme.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 34gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 720mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1.8mg
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